


Prophet

by jaybyrds



Series: Looking (Too Close; Too Far) [2]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Badlands Clans, Character Death, F/F, Found Family, Grief, Queer Themes, Trans Characters, nonbinary characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-03 09:44:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 37,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10964676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaybyrds/pseuds/jaybyrds
Summary: The golden grass parted. The water was very still. She looked, and she saw. [The sequel to Blue and Heather. Contains many, many queer themes, and no queer angst.]





	1. Allegiances

**Author's Note:**

> Prophet is the sequel to Blue and Heather, but I don't think that one's required reading.
> 
> There used to be more here but I removed it.
> 
> This story is completely done! First draft, but still. I love this thing, and I hope you do, too. Please enjoy.

**CaveClan  
** **Leader** : Batstar - Burly brown tom with gold eyes.  
**Deputy** : Volepelt - Reddish brown tom with yellow eyes.  
 **Medicine Cat** : Cactusleaf - orange molly with prominent striping and green eyes.  
 **Warriors** : Ravenheart - Black tom with yellow eyes.  
Larchpelt - Golden brown tom with amber eyes.  
Toadfur - Brown spotted molly with yellow eyes.  
Sedgestripe - Striped brown tolly with orange eyes.  
Astertail - Very light tan tabby molly with blue eyes and a thin frame. Mother of Oriolekit.  
Cypresspelt - Reddish-brown tom with yellow eyes.  
Jaynose - Grey-brown molly with white markings and yellow eyes. Apprentice: Snakepaw.  
Shrikestorm - Blue-grey molly with blue eyes.  
Tanagerfoot - Small red and black tortoiseshell tolly with yellow eyes.  
Lichenpelt - Light tortoiseshell molly with green eyes.  
Falconstripe - Blue-grey tabby molly with a white belly and yellow eyes.  
Stonewhisker - Grey tom with green eyes.  
Brindlefur - Mottled brown tom with green eyes.  
Squirrelpelt - Ginger tom with yellow eyes.  
Mallowheart - Ginger tolly with orange eyes. Apprentice: Cloverpaw.  
Dawnflower - Light orange molly with green eyes.  
**Queens** : Briarflower - Brown tabby molly with orange eyes. Currently expecting kits.  
Fawntail - Light brown molly with copper eyes. Mother of Crowkit and Honeykit.  
Darkgaze - Solid gray molly with yellow eyes. Mother of Oriolekit.  
**Apprentices** : Cloverpaw - Very light ginger tom with yellow eyes.  
Snakepaw - Tortoiseshell molly with yellow eyes.  
**Elders** : Lizardfang - Golden-brown tabby molly with green eyes.  
Patchfur - white and black tom with blue eyes.  
**Kits** : Crowkit - Black molly with green eyes.  
Honeykit - Golden brown tom with orange eyes.  
Oriolekit - Black, orange, and white tortoiseshell molly with yellow eyes. Her face is divided evenly in half lengthwise with black and orange.

 **CliffClan  
** **Leader** : Brightstar - White and ginger patched molly with yellow eyes.  
**Deputy** : Russetfoot - Dark ginger molly with orange eyes. Mother of Darkpaw and Lightpaw.  
 **Medicine Cat** : Larkheart - Brown tabby tom with a white belly and green eyes. Apprentice: Briarpaw.  
 **Warriors** : Rushwhisker - Brown tom with orange eyes.  
Reedpelt - Golden brown molly with yellow eyes.  
Grayface - Sleek, attractive gray tom with minor white, and green eyes. Father of Darkpaw and Lightpaw.  
Fogstorm - Gray molly with yellow-green eyes.  
Stormtail - Gray tom with gold eyes.  
Kestrelheart - Burly gray, thick furred tom with light green eyes.  
Snowfoot - White-and-gray tom with long legs and yellow eyes. Apprentice: Darkpaw.  
Smallwhisker - Shorter than average black and gray dappled tom with orange eyes.  
Crowstorm - Black molly with green eyes and a white stripe running down her back.  
Squirrelwhisker - Red tolly with yellow eyes.  
Ivyclaw - Grey tabby molly with a sleek pelt and golden eyes.  
Stonepelt - Cream tabby tom with green eyes.  
Gingerclaw - Large molly with a red tabby pelt and copper eyes. Apprentice: Lightpaw.  
Daisypelt - Light golden molly with green eyes.  
Sheepfur- Pale gray tom with green eyes.  
Palegaze - Pale gray molly with yellow-green eyes.  
Rabbitwhisker - Grey-brown tom with amber eyes.  
**Queens** : Poppyface - Ginger molly with green eyes. Mother of Marigoldkit and Hawthornkit.  
Dawnheart - Very light ginger tom with copper eyes. Father of Carpkit.  
**Apprentices** : Darkpaw - Greyish-black molly with white on her chest, muzzle, and paws and green eyes.  
Lightpaw - Sandy-orange molly with a white chest leading up to her chin and blue eyes.  
Briarpaw - Brown tabby tolly with yellow eyes. Healer apprentice.  
**Elders** : Hailnose - Dappled pale grey molly with copper eyes.  
Sorrelflower - Dark ginger tabby tom with gold eyes.  
Herontail - Silver tom with copper eyes.  
**Kits** : Marigoldkit - Small ginger molly with copper eyes.  
Hawthornkit - White tom with bright green eyes.  
Carpkit- Golden brown kit with amber eyes.

 **BrushClan  
** **Leader** : Merlinstar - Light brown molly with orange eyes.  
**Deputy** : Larkwhisker - Green-eyed ginger tom.  
 **Medicine Cat** : Sootfeather - Dark gray molly with green eyes. Apprentice: Redleaf.  
**Warriors** : Shrewpelt - Dark brown tabby tom with orange eyes.  
Hawkstripe - Brown and white mottled tom with large ears and green eyes.  
Smokefur - White and gray tom with amber eyes.  
Acornfoot - Brown and white molly with yellow eyes.  
Spottedface - Very pretty brown molly with a speckled pelt.  
Raincloud - Blue-gray tom with green eyes.  
Foxstripe - Dark ginger molly with prominent striping and yellow eyes.  
Gorsestorm - Sandy yellow molly with yellow eyes.  
Ashfang - Dappled dark gray tolly with orange eyes.  
Shadownose - Greyish brown tolly with copper eyes.  
Reedclaw - Golden brown tom with green eyes.  
Mottlecloud - Patched grey and white molly with green eyes.  
Tawnyflower - Golden tom with green eyes.  
Hornetclaw - Golden tabby tom with yellow eyes.  
Mouseflower - Small brown molly with orange eyes.  
Robinfur - Patched ginger tom with green eyes.  
Doveclaw - Grey-brown molly with green eyes.  
Grebepelt - Light grey and white tom with yellow eyes.  
Poplarstream - Light grey molly with bright yellow eyes.  
**Queens** : Beepelt - Golden tabby molly with yellow eyes. Expecting kits.  
Grayflower - Dark gray tabby tom with copper eyes. Mother of Sorrelkit and Gullkit.  
**Apprentices** : Redleaf - Tortoiseshell molly with blue eyes. Healer apprentice.  
Vetchpaw - White, fluffy molly with one green eye and one blue eye.  
Darterpaw - Dark brown tom with yellow eyes.  
**Elders** : Elmfur - Old, blind brown tom.  
Garlictail - Old white tolly with yellow eyes.  
Starlingfoot - Black tom with minor white patches and green eyes. Retired early due to an injury.  
**Kits** : Sorrelkit - Dark ginger molly with orange eyes.  
Gullkit - Striped gray tom with yellow eyes.

 **ShaleClan  
** **Leader** : Cloudstar - Lithe light gray molly with bicolor eyes.  
**Deputy** : Swiftstorm - Lanky darkish brown tolly with minor white patches of fur.  
 **Medicine Cat** : Mousetail - Small brown tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice: Shadepaw.  
 **Warriors** : Rockclaw - Dark brown tom with copper eyes.  
Heatherfur - Light ginger molly with green eyes. Apprentice: Yewpaw.  
Nettlepelt - Gray tom with golden eyes.  
Eaglefang - Large brown molly with yellow eyes.  
Silverfur - Silvery gray molly with white toes and blue eyes. Apprentice: Mintpaw.  
Rabbitstep - Light brown tom with yellow eyes. Silverfur and Astertail’s father.  
Acorntail - Golden-brown tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Shrikepaw.  
Hazelfur - Light brown tom with yellow eyes.  
Beechpelt - Grey-brown tom with amber eyes.  
Gingerfang - Light red tabby molly with minor patches of white and green eyes.  
Brownfoot - Brown tabby molly with a long tail and yellow eyes.  
Loonflower - Black and white tom with yellow eyes.  
Sparrownose - Brown tabby tom with white markings and yellow eyes. Apprentice: Mintpaw.  
Cinderstream - Dark gray tabby molly with copper eyes.  
**Queens** : Dawnwhisker - Light tan molly with gold eyes. Mother of Sandkit.  
Cloverfur - White and tan tolly with green eyes. Parent of Lilykit and Parulakit.  
**Apprentices** : Shadepaw - Black tom with gold eyes. Healer apprentice.  
Yewpaw - Brown tabby tolly with yellow eyes.  
Shrikepaw - White and gray molly with gold eyes.  
Mintpaw - Pale grey molly with green eyes.  
**Elders** : Ternflower - Old grey-and-white molly with one blind eye, and one green eye.  
Larchstream - Golden brown tom with amber eyes.  
Eveningfoot - Dark gray tabby molly with silver striping and copper eyes.  
Starlingwhisker - Black tom with minor white on his tail and chest.  
**Kits** : Lilykit - White and gray molly with green eyes.  
Parulakit - Light grey tom with yellow eyes.  
Sandkit - Light gold molly with gold eyes.


	2. Prologue

A breeze blew through short, golden grass, sending shining waves tempered by silver through the wide expanse. The grass parted easily before the slow, ponderous steps of the kit walking through it. She seemed to have hardly any idea of where she was going, but she kept on nevertheless, her pace neither slowing nor speeding up.

Her efforts weren't in vain, her steps taking her through the seas of grass and into a little hollow that opened up before her. The tall stalks ringed the hollow, an open area in the otherwise seemingly ceaseless sea of gold. In the center of it was a small pond.

The face of the kit registered surprise and recognition simultaneously upon seeing the pond. Her face, split evenly down the middle between orange and black, twisted into uncertainty as she stepped up to the water and sat down. She leaned forward, inclining her head to stare across the water.

The surface of the pond reflected the clear, starless night sky and the two-toned face of the little kit. Her tail wrapped around her front paws and she fell still. As she watched, the surface of the pond flickered and her own reflection vanished along with the moon. The scene changed.

She watched the flickers and listened as whispers seemed to drift by her ears, fading in and out with the images on the water. Above her, the sky slowly brightened, but she stayed still, hardly moving at all.

Behind her, near where she'd exited the expanse of grass, a dusky gray cat emerged. He paused upon seeing her, one paw still raised in a step he hadn't completed. A moment more, and he moved to her side. "What are you doing here?" he murmured. He looked down at the pond, yellow eyes mirroring the things flitting on the surface. "You shouldn't be here," he mewed immediately, an edge to his voice. His paw fell to the water, scattering the pictures in the waves that spread across the surface.

The kit looked up at him again, a glazed look in slowly blinking eyes that cleared gradually. The tom cat nudged her gently to her paws. "Let's get you back where you belong," he mewed softly, and together they disappeared back into the grass. Left behind, the pond slowly stilled. With no one to see them, the images sank deep down, and the water showed only the morning sky.


	3. One

Oriolekit blunk open her eyes. As the last of her dreams faded into fuzzy nothingness, she thought for a moment that she could see the shape of a dark, sleek tom standing over her, but the vision blinked out and in its place Oriolekit saw her mother.

"Good morning," Darkgaze whispered. Oriolekit could just make out her outline, smudged into vagueness by the warm dimness of the nursery. She had a paw raised where she'd been grooming herself. "Are you ready to get up?" she asked.

Oriolekit stood up and stretched, kneading her paws into the soft moss that made up her and her mother's nest. "Yes," she chirped as quietly as she could. "I want to go see Astertail, and I want to eat rabbit!"

Darkgaze's face tilted into a puzzled look as Oriolekit tried to bound by her. Darkgaze lifted her paw again to halt her movement and Oriolekit fell onto her haunches with a tiny "oof!"

"Now hold on," Darkgaze whispered. She was about to say more, when movement caught Oriolekit's eye and she turned to see Fawntail and her kits waking up. She immediately turned and ran over to them, pouncing on the moss in between Honeykit and Crowkit.

"Hi!" Oriolekit squeaked. She heard Fawntail purr gently. Crowkit yawned in her face.

"Hi," Honeykit mewed sleepily, his fur sleep-ruffled. "S'all the fuss?"

"It's morning! I think," Oriolekit mewed. It was impossible to tell without looking out the den at one of the small holes in the roof of the cave, but if everyone was waking up, that was a good sign.

"More sleep," Crowkit muttered, lying back down against her mother.

Fawntail's purr grew louder. "Oh, are you certain you want to sleep more?" she mewed. "Don't you remember what's happening today?"

Crowkit's ear flicked, and then she sat up. Oriolekit batted at her twitching tail as Crowkit mewed, "You're right!" Her sleepiness faded and she tugged her tail out of Oriolekit's reach.

"We're apprentices today!" Honeykit mewed, excitement growing in his voice. Oriolekit pushed down a wave of disappointment. She'd be all alone in the nursery until Briarflower, who looked like she was due any day, gave birth to her litter.

"That's right," Fawntail mewed. "Now come here." She caught Crowkit in her front paws and trapped her, rasping her tongue over her daughter's head to flatten her fur. Crowkit made a noise of distress, but didn't wiggle too much.

"When'll it happen?" Honeykit asked. "Now?"

"I'd think soon after we go to the antechamber," Fawntail mewed, pausing in her grooming. "But that's not until you're both presentable."

The antechamber! Oriolekit wiggled as she remembered. "Darkgaze! Let's go see Astertail!"

"Remember she had dawn patrol today!" Darkgaze mewed, but Oriolekit was already edging around the groggy Briarflower and then hopping out of the small cave that made up the nursery and bounding down the tunnel. Down further, the opposite way to the main chamber, was Batstar's den. Up ahead was the cave that made up Cactusleaf, the medicine cat's den. Oriolekit could hear her inside as she padded past, with Darkgaze right behind her.

"She should be back by now," Oriolekit tossed over her shoulder, confident. She didn’t stop until the tunnel ended and opened up into the big antechamber of the cave system. She looked around, stretching herself onto her toes, searching for the pale outline of her other mother. She wasn’t there. Disappointment pushed Oriolekit down flat on her paws. Darkgaze licked the top of her head.

“She’ll be here soon,” her mother assured her, and she was right; as soon as the words were out of her muzzle, a patrol appeared at the mouth of the cave, highlighted and obscured by the light shining behind them. One of them carried something large, blurring their shape further.

Oriolekit bounded forward and around the Turtle Steps pool. “Astertail!” she squealed, ducking under paws to get to her faster.

The bundle Astertail was carrying dropped to the cave floor with a thump as Astertail mewed, “Little bird!” She leaned down to lick Oriolekit over her head, much to her displeasure. Astertail looked up, purring, to touch her nose to Darkgaze’s. “Hello,” she said, warmth in her voice.

Darkgaze’s mew echoed the warmth. “How was your patrol?”

“Uneventful, but I brought you something,” Astertail mewed, and she nudged the thing she’d dropped.

“Is that a rabbit?” Darkgaze mewed, leaning to sniff it. “What a coincidence. Oriolekit woke up wanting rabbit.”

“Then it’s a good thing I caught it.” Astertail picked it back up, and together she and her family moved out of the exit tunnel and sat against a wall. When she was settled, she set down the rabbit and tore it open for Oriolekit, who immediately bit off a piece.

“What do you think?” Darkgaze asked, pressed up against Astertail’s side.

Oriolekit took a moment to get the bite down before she answered. “It’s…” she considered, head tilted. “It’s weird. But I like it!”

“Good,” Astertail mewed, and she might have said more, but at that moment Fawntail and her kits appeared out of the tunnel that led to the nursery. Crowkit and Honeykit looked sleek and clean, if not a little annoyed. They headed over to Oriolekit and her mothers.

“Hey!” Crowkit mewed. “How-- Oh, is that a rabbit?”

“Would you like some?” Astertail mewed. “I caught it while out on patrol, and Volepelt said I should share it.”

“Yes, please,” Crowkit mewed, but Honeykit declined.

“I’m so nervous,” he confessed. “I couldn’t eat a bite!”

“You should anyway,” Fawntail mewed, behind them. “I expect your mentors will take you out immediately, and you don’t want to be hungry while out.”

“Do you know who our mentors will be?” Crowkit asked hopefully, moving back to let her brother eat a bit of the rabbit.

“Don’t you want it to be a surprise?” Fawntail mewed, and though her kits begged, she didn’t tell them.

Oriolekit snuggled into the space between her mothers. Crowkit and Honeykit would be fine; Larchpelt and Sedgestripe were both great, nice warriors. They’d make great mentors!

“When do  _ I _ get to be an apprentice?” Oriolekit complained.

“You still have a few moons, little bird,” Astertail mewed, amused. “But that’ll come sooner than expected, don’t worry.” Oriolekit pouted. So far, the only part of the territory she’d seen was the dirtplace, and that didn’t even have a good view!

She was stopped from complaining by a sudden hush over the cats in the chamber. Batstar stood in front of a tunnel Oriolekit had never been allowed to go through. Her ears twitched as she caught Fawntail frantically murmuring last-moment instructions to her kits.

"Follow me for the ceremony," Batstar mewed. His voice was grave. He beckoned to Crowkit and Honeykit, who immediately scampered around the Turtle Steps pond, followed closely by their mother. When they reached Batstar, he turned and disappeared into the tunnel.

Astertail leaned down to talk to Oriolekit. "The tunnel will be very dark," she mewed. "Follow us closely- One of us will keep their tail on you the entire time, alright? You must be very, very quiet, Oriolekit. This is important. Don't say anything at all until we get back here, okay?"

"Okay," Oriolekit mewed obediently. She'd heard about the ceremonies, but she'd never been old enough to go to one until now. They were very important.

Astertail and Darkgaze followed their clanmates as they funneled into the tunnel after Batstar and the others. True to their word, they kept their tails on Oriolekit at all times so she wouldn't fall behind.

The tunnel was no darker than the other she'd been in at first. But it gradually grew darker and darker until she couldn't see anything at all. She felt, with her whiskers and hearing, the echoes of their pawsteps in the tunnel, and knew, suddenly, when the tunnel ended and opened into a cavern. She couldn't tell how big it was, but it was obviously at least as big as the antechamber, to fit almost the whole Clan inside. The air inside the cave was almost heavy. It pressed in on her, and her breaths sounded louder than normal; she focused on that, keeping herself quiet.

She stopped when her mothers did, and wondered what was happening, though she didn't voice any questions. She was supposed to be very quiet, after all. She heard only the gentle pawsteps of her clanmates as they spread out, and then nothing. The silence stretched and pressed in on her ears, and then Batstar spoke.

"Your Clan's hearts beat with your own," he said. His voice was soft and breathy, but it carried easily through the still, heavy air. "Listen," he whispered, "Hear your Clan in you," and there was silence once more.

Oriolekit listened, though she knew the words were for Honeykit and Crowkit. A soft, even thrumming pulsed through the cave. Oriolekit pressed against one of her mothers, and felt their heartbeats match.

"Your name," Batstar breathed, cutting the silence once more. "Crowpaw. Your mentor. Larchpelt." A sudden whisper broke the silence. The sound came from everywhere at once. "Crowpaw," the whisper hissed. It was spoken only once, and then silence reigned again. A long, stretching moment passed, and then Batstar spoke again. "Your name. Honeypaw. Your mentor. Sedgestripe."

Again the whisper, buzzing through the air only once. "Honeypaw," Caveclan hissed. Moments passed, stretching so that the only thing Oriolekit heard was the thrum of Caveclan's heartbeats in the air.

Then, movement. Together, as one, Caveclan moved towards the exit. Astertail and Darkgaze swept Oriolekit up with them and back into the tunnel, and she stumbled through, awed, back into the antechamber.

She blinked rapidly in the sudden light, dim as it was. Darkgaze and Astertail seemed just as awed; their eyes were sparkling brightly. Oriolekit remembered the sound of their voice in the last whispers. Would she get the timing down to do that too, someday?

"That was so cool," Oriolekit whispered, sitting heavily on her haunches, out of the way. Crowpaw and Honeypaw seemed to echo the sentiment; their eyes were just as wide and sparkling. Larchpelt and Sedgestripe stood near them, next to their designated apprentice.

"I'm so proud of you two," Oriolekit heard Fawntail mew, when a little of the mystification that still held the Clan had faded. "Mind your mentors, okay?"

"We will," Crowpaw and Honeypaw chorused, their voices carrying a breathy quality. And of course they would! Oriolekit knew that.

"Let's go," Larchpelt mewed to his apprentice, and Sedgestripe beckoned to theirs.

“Good luck!” Oriolekit called after her two ex-denmates. They waved their tails at her as they started down the tunnel to Caveclan territory. “Teach me a battle move when you get back!” she added, hoping they could hear her. Oriolekit pouted for a moment after they left. “Do you think they will?” she asked her parents.

“They might be very tired when they get back,” Darkgaze mewed gently. “They’ll be learning a lot and won’t have much time to play.”

Oriolekit sighed, disappointed. “Even if Briarflower has her kits soon it’ll be ages before we can play together,” she muttered.

“Then it’s a good thing you have us,” Astertail said, amused. “How about Hop?” she suggested, meaning the game Oriolekit had played with Honeypaw and Crowpaw, where they jumped across the Turtle Steps.

“Yes!” Oriolekit mewed, squeezing out between her parents.

“Don’t splash too much!” Darkgaze called after her. She took a moment to give her mate a nuzzle and a lick, and then let them go play, planning to finish off what was left of the rabbit.

The Turtle Steps Pond was useful in many ways. It served as a source of water in the dry moons, or when cats couldn’t move too far from the caves, and kits learned to swim early on in it, just in case. In addition to that, it was also a source of amusement for Oriolekit.

She crouched, haunches in the air, and wiggled, eyes trained on a rock just a couple of pawsteps out into the water. She paused, considered, and then leapt forward, landing perfectly on the rock. Astertail mewed an encouragement and then jumped herself, bypassing Oriolekit and landing on a rock one ahead of her.

Oriolekit gasped in mock outrage and leapt again, trying for a rock further away than the one she’d jumped to first. And so it went, her and Astertail taking turns jumping from rock to rock. Sometimes Oriolekit would overestimate her abilities and land in the water, but it didn’t matter. She’d haul herself back up on one of the Turtle Steps and shake herself off, then wait to jump again. A couple of times, Astertail splashed her and eventually Hop devolved into Splash.

They kept it controlled to avoid splashing any bystanders. Eventually Darkgaze intervened; Oriolekit was flagging, her eyes blinking. “It’s time for a nap,” her mother said gently, helping her out of the pool. Oriolekit protested, but her sleepiness was apparent.

“We’ll play more later, little bird,” Astertail promised, helping her mate dry Oriolekit off, and then Darkgaze was leading her back to the nursery.

Oriolekit fell asleep to the warm, rhythmic rasping of her mother’s tongue.


	4. Two

“Lizardfang!” Oriolekit called, trotting down the tunnel that lead to the elder’s den. “Patchfur! Hello!” As she approached, the grizzled face of Patchfur poked out of the den, illuminated by the small hole at the top of the tunnel.

“Hello there, Oriolekit!” he meowed, beckoning her inside.

“Is that who I think it is?” Lizardfang meowed, blinking in the dim light at Oriolekit.

“Didn’t I just say it was Oriolekit?” Patchfur mewed to his denmate.

“My sight isn’t what it used to be,” Lizardfang mewed in defense. “What gives us the pleasure, little one?”

“Hearing isn’t either,” the black and white tom muttered to himself as Oriolekit padded inside.

“Oriolekit!” someone called, voice exasperated. Darkgaze appeared in the den. “What have I said about running off? Hello Patchfur, Lizardfang. Ah, I was wondering, would you mind watching Oriolekit for me? I wanted to stretch my legs on a hunting patrol.”

There was a lull. Patchfur and Lizardfang glanced at each other. Darkgaze looked between them, ears slowly flattening. Oriolekit tilted her head, not understanding.

“Please,” Darkgaze added. There was a strange edge to her voice. “I’ll bring you back the best piece of prey I can find.”

“Alright,” Lizardfang mewed. A look of relief crossed Darkgaze’s face

“Thank you,” she said, gratitude apparent in her voice. She leaned down to touch her nose to Oriolekit’s. “You be good for Lizardfang and Patchfur, okay?”

“Okay,” Oriolekit mewed obediently, and Darkgaze turned to go. “Have fun!” she called after her mother, tail waving. Her Darkgaze had disappeared down the tunnel, Oriolekit walked further into the den, stepping around Lizardfang’s nest. She sat down in the middle of the den, blinking in the dim light.

The tension eased out of the cave. “Well, little one,” Patchfur mewed, “what would you like to do? I’m afraid my joints aren’t what they used to be, so I’m not sure I could play.”

“We could tell a story,” Lizardfang suggested.

“Yes!” Oriolekit mewed immediately.

“How about,” Lizardfang started, “The story of-” and here Oriolekit joined her, speaking together, “Rubble Hill Outlook?” Lizardfang paused, blinking. “Have you heard that one?”

“No,” Oriolekit mewed, head tilted.

“Well,” Lizardfang mewed, a little confused. A moment later she started the story. “The Outlook used to be another entrance to the cave system. Our ancestors used them interchangeably, whichever happened to be closer..” She went on, detailing times cats had used that entrance to escape from danger, their names lost long ago. Finally, she got to the meat of the story: “One day, Cliffclan invaded. The reason why, I don’t know, but they did! They charged across our territory, nearly their whole Clan- It was madness! They headed to our camp. No one knows why; perhaps they meant to take the fight right to the heart of Caveclan.

“One brave warrior tried to head them off, racing back to warn her clanmates, but three of Cliffclan’s fastest warriors chased her down. She made it to the caves-- But only barely!” Lizardfang spoke in a hush. Oriolekit’s eyes were wide. Her little jaw hung open. “They were right behind her, and there was no time to turn back! She yowled a warning, and it echoed through the tunnel and into the antechamber. One of the Cliffclan warriors grabbed her, dragging her back!

“She turned and fought-- She wouldn’t allow them an easy fight! But it was three against one, and she was tired from her run. She could only do one thing,” Lizardfang mewed, and here, again, Oriolekit joined her, mewing along, “She leapt at top of the tunnel!” Lizardfang paused. Oriolekit continued on, “She hit a loose bit of rock and it all came tumbling down! It buried her and the attackers and sealed up the entrance.” The little kit paused, uncertain, and dipped her head.

“Yes,” Lizardfang mewed slowly. “Are you sure you haven’t heard this story before?” Oriolekit shook her head, still uncertain. Still speaking slow, Lizardfang continued, “But you’re right. Her clanmates had heard her warning and had evacuated through the other exit. We still remember her name to this day.”

“Swanheart,” Oriolekit mewed, her voice small. Her ears laid back.

“Yes,” Lizardfang repeated. She exchanged a look with Patchfur, who looked just as puzzled. “Because of her, Caveclan was saved, and our camp protected. We keep a sentry on post now, always, just in case. But as far as I know, there’s been no attacks on the camp like that since. Are you really sure you’d never heard that story before?”

“Perhaps you overhead us telling it to Crowpaw and Honeypaw ages ago,” Patchfur put in.

“Maybe,” Lizardfang mewed, though she didn’t sound as if she believed it.

“It was a good story anyway,” Oriolekit mewed. “I liked how you told it.”

The compliment soothed Lizardfang’s suspicious look. “I’m glad you did. I’ll tell you another story later, if you like.”

“I would!” Oriolekit chirped. “I can play by myself for a little while though,” she added, seeing how tired Lizardfang had begun to look.

“Okay, dear,” Lizardfang mewed, and she settled on her nest, legs splayed out. Oriolekit pawed a bit of moss from her nest and rolled it into a ball to bat around. Occasionally, when she hit it close enough to Patchfur or Lizardfang, they’d bat it back to her.

Halfway through the game, Oriolekit paused, tilted her head, and turned to walk out of the den as if she’d just remembered something.

“Oriolekit?” Patchfur called. “Where are you going? Come back!”

“Hold on,” she mewed, concentrating. Her pawsteps took her out of the den and down the tunnel, into the antechamber, and back into the tunnel that contained the medicine den. She poked her head into Cactusleaf’s den. “Hello?” she called.

The orange shape of the medicine cat appeared from a smaller tunnel at the back and headed into the main cave of the den. “Oriolekit? Is something the matter?”

Oriolekit paused. Why was she back here? She felt like she had to be, but.. “I think.. Something’s wrong with Lizardfang,” she mewed finally. “Her joints are hurting her badly.”

“Is that so?” Cactusleaf’s ears flicked. “Then I’d better get some herbs together.” Oriolekit waited in the tunnel while the medicine cat bustled around, stacking herbs together onto a big leaf. When she was finished, she folded the leaf and picked it up in her jaws, gesturing for Oriolekit to lead the way.

They went back down the tunnel, into the antechamber, and then into the tunnel with the elder’s den. By the sound, something was obviously up.

“What should I do?” Patchfur fretted over Lizardfang’s quiet noises of discomfort. “I- What do I do?”

“It’s fine. I’m fine. Go get Oriolekit. I’m fine, Patchfur!” Lizardfang snapped, but by the strained tone of her voice, she obviously wasn’t.

“What’s wrong?” Cactusleaf mewed around her bundle. She stepped around Oriolekit to go into the den, and Oriolekit followed closely behind. Lizardfang was half in her nest, and half out, her face twisted in pain.

“She tried to get up to go get Oriolekit, but collapsed,” Patchfur fretted. “Why did you leave?” he demanded when he saw Oriolekit, but she just hunkered down, eyes wide.

“Let me help,” Cactusleaf mewed. She set down her herbs and unwrapped them. The pungent, clean smell of them filled the den. She moved over to Lizardfang and helped her the rest of the way out of her nest, so she laid flat. She spent a moment feeling the elder cat over and gently asking questions. She briefly turned to Oriolekit to murmur, “It was good of you to come get me,” before pawing through her herbs.

“You did?” Patchfur mewed, surprised. “But I only just found out she was hurt.” Uncomfortable, Oriolekit hunkered down more. Patchfur looked at her, but didn’t say anything else, just turned to watch Cactusleaf help Lizardfang.

The medicine cat chewed up various herbs and plastered them to various parts of Lizardfang; presumably, Oriolekit figured, where the hurt was worst. Finally, the leaf she’d brought her herbs in was empty, except for a small black speck. Cactusleaf pushed the leaf, with its last cargo, over to Lizardfang, and the elder obediently licked it up. Cactusleaf and Patchfur helped her back into her nest.

“Sleep,” Cactusleaf instructed. “Try not to move too much. I’ll be back to check on you soon. Oriolekit, why don’t you come with me? Let’s let Patchfur rest after that scare.”

“Thank you, Cactusleaf,” the black and white elder said gratefully. He flopped into his nest with a tired sigh. “Actually,” he mewed a heartbeat later, “if I may have a word..” Cactusleaf padded over to him, and they spoke in hushed tones for a moment. Oriolekit’s ears laid back, unable to hear the two, but feeling a sense of trepidation anyway.

“Alright, I see,” Cactusleaf mewed a few moments later. She drew back from Patchfur and turned away. She padded out of the den and Oriolekit followed hesitantly.

When they were back in her den, Cactusleaf swept away scraps of drying herb with her tail, and motioned for Oriolekit to sit down. When she was seated, the kit spent a few moments sniffing the air. The medicine den was full of interesting smells, even if some of them stung her nose.

“Oriolekit,” Cactusleaf said eventually as she patted a stack of leaves into place. “Tell me, how did you know Lizardfang was hurt?”

Oriolekit paused, her mouth open. She closed it, waited a second, then mewed, “I dunno.”

“Really?” Cactusleaf prompted.

“It just felt like I knew she was,” Oriolekit explained, placing her paw on a dry scrap of leaf. “It felt like someone told me, but, not, I guess. I just knew.”

“Really,” Cactusleaf repeated, but this time she was thinking aloud. “Patchfur said you seemed to know Lizardfang’s story, even though you said you’d never heard it before. Were you fibbing?”

Oriolekit looked up in shock. “No! Fibbing is bad! I’d never fib. I really hadn’t heard it before, but..”

“Go on,” Cactusleaf pushed gently.

“Well, I just knew what she was going to say. But not until she got there,” Oriolekit mewed, staring down at her paws. “But I knew,” she repeated, quietly.

“Hm,” Cactusleaf murmured. “Okay, then.” Oriolekit waited for her to ask another question, but she didn’t, not about that. Instead she asked, “Do you want to help me sort these? Just until your mother gets back.”

“Okay,” Oriolekit mewed, padding forward to help her, and that’s how she stayed for the rest of sunhigh.


	5. Three

Dawn light slid into the opening of the nursery, casting the occupants with a watery orange glow. Marigoldkit blinked in the light and rolled over to bury her face in her brother’s white pelt. She could feel moss sticking to her fur and poking her inbetween her and her brother, but she was too sleepy to deal with it.

Mornings were hard! The nursery was at the perfect height and angle to catch the first light of morning, and unless she managed to sleep at the very back of the den, Marigoldkit always ended up being awoken by it.

“Get off,” Hawthornkit muttered. One of his paws pushed at her and she moved away with a whine.

“But you’re comfortable,” she mumbled back, and he sighed. One of his eyes slid open, squinting in the light, and he lifted his paw. Marigoldkit took the invitation and snuggled back in, letting her brother shift until they were both comfortable. Behind both of them, Poppyface, their mother, snored. Hawthornkit rolled the eye that was still open and they both giggled minutely.

Marigoldkit was just about to slide back into sleep when Poppyface shifted and sat up. The movement jarred Marigoldkit from her sleep, and moved Hawthornkit besides; he, and by extension Marigoldkit, slid into the depression Poppyface’s body had made.

In a tangle of limbs, Hawthornkit and Marigoldkit struggled to get up. Poppyface purred in affection and amusement, and gently helped them up. Annoyed, Marigoldkit shook her orange pelt out, getting rid of most of the moss sticking to it. Hawthornkit yawned loudly and tried to lay back down, but Poppyface stopped him.

“Don’t you remember what’s happening today?” she mewed.

Remember what? Marigoldkit wondered, still sleepy. The answer came to her, just as Hawthornkit mewed, voice bursting with excitement, “Apprentice ceremony!”

“Shh,” Dawnheart, at the back of the den, mewed. He sounded sleepy. Marigoldkit caught sight of the tiny form of Carpkit peering at her from where she was pressed against Dawnheart.

“Sorry,” Hawthornkit mewed, and then, quieter, “Apprentice ceremony!”

Poppyface took a moment to groom her kits, and then led them out of the den. She paused on the ledge outside of the den then leapt upwards, traveling along ledges and overhangs sticking out of the face of the cliff that made up Cliffclan’s camp. The clearing where the Clan ate and talked to one another was at the very top of the cliff, along with the elder’s den.

Hawthornkit and Marigoldkit scaled the cliff with ease, hopping from ledge to ledge and scrambling up with ease born of Cliffclan ancestry and sheer practice. The top of the cliff already had minor activity in it; Russetfoot, the deputy, was directing patrols with flicks of her tail. Brightstar was watching the goings on from close by. When she spotted Poppyface and her kits, she stood up and headed over.

“Good morning,” she mewed. “Big day, hm? We’ll have the ceremony soon, but why don’t you all eat before then? I’m sure your mentors will want to get an immediate start.”

“Okay!” Marigoldkit chirped. She liked Brightstar. The leader was always nice, and wasn’t above talking to Marigoldkit and her brother.

Brightstar flicked her tail and dipped her head, and Poppyface led her kits to the freshkill pile. Marigoldkit plucked a mouse from the pile, and carried it away. Hawthornkit followed with a dove, and the three shared the prey equally between them.

As they ate, more cats climbed their way to the clearing. By the time the prey was just scraps, Brightstar had taken her place on the rock she addressed the Clan from. She beckoned the two soon-to-be apprentices closer, and called out for her Clan to gather.

Marigoldkit's paws trembled in excitement. She exchanged a look with Hawthornkit and saw her excitement reflected in green eyes. He nudged her briefly with his haunches and turned to look up at Brightstar.

"My dear Clan," she mewed. "It's my honor to welcome two new apprentices to our fold. They're reached six moons and it's time for them to learn our skills. Marigoldkit, Hawthornkit, please come here."

Lightpaw and Darkpaw had both told them about this part, and just yesterday Larkheart had checked them over to make sure they were ready. Still, nervousness was to be expected as Marigoldkit and her brother hopped up to where Brightstar was. Their leader swished their tail, indicating the ledge behind her. They crept closer to the ledge and stared down.

The ledge dropped down, stretching far below them. Marigoldkit looked up at Brightstar, eyes wide. Brightstar crinkled her nose in a smile and nodded. "Let yourselves be new," she mewed. "Let go of the old and land as apprentices."

Hawthornkit crouched beside her, wiggling his haunches. He backed up a pawstep, then another, and threw himself forward off the ledge. Not to be outdone, Marigoldkit followed, feeling the ground go out from beneath her paws. She fell and-

Landed, only a second after she had jumped. She blinked in surprise and looked up. Funny. The distance had felt so far, but it wasn't very far at all! Just two tail-lengths, if even.

Two cats were down there with them, cats Marigoldkit recognized as Squirrelwhisker and Ivyclaw.

"Marigoldpaw! Hawthornpaw!" Brightstar called down. Marigoldpaw, newly renamed, looked up to see her silhouetted against the sun on the ledge. "You've taken your first jump into the life of a warrior! Congratulations!"

Cats crowded in behind her. Marigoldpaw recognized her mother, ears pricked in delight. The cats, and more behind them, roared their new names.

"Hawthornpaw! Your mentor is Ivyclaw. Marigoldpaw, yours is Squirrelwhisker," Brightstar continued as the names of the new apprentices echoed throughout the hills. "May you make Starclan proud," Brightstar finished, pride and affection in her voice.

Wiggling in excitement, Marigoldpaw touched her nose to Squirrelwhisker's. From the corner of her eye she saw Hawthornpaw do the same with Ivyclaw.

"Congratulations," Ivyclaw mewed, her brisk voice hiding her own glee.

The ceremony over, Ivyclaw and Squirrelwhisker led their apprentices down the slope that connected the ledge to the plateau and headed into the rest of the territory. Poppyface called well-wishes behind them as they left. Marigoldpaw had never been down the slope; kits weren’t allowed outside the camp, after all. Squirrelwhisker was patient, showing their apprentice the best pawsteps, and how to keep the dry earth from crumbling under her paws. She’d have to learn fast- it was one of the only ways into and out of the camp.

“You and I are going to the Hollow Gulley,” Ivyclaw mewed to Hawthornpaw. “I want to start you on battle moves immediately.” Marigoldpaw saw her claws flex and dig into the dirt.

“Are we going with them?’ Marigoldpaw asked Squirrelwhisker, but they shook their head.

“I want to show you the territory, first. We’ll do battle moves later.” Marigoldpaw and Hawthornpaw exchanged shocked, disappointed looks. Six moons doing everything together, and their first day as apprentices separates them.

Squirrelwhisker brushed their tail across Marigoldpaw’s shoulder. “You’ll be able to train together soon. We won’t keep you apart forever.”

“Bye,” Hawthornpaw mewed to his sister as Ivyclaw led him away.

“Bye,” Marigoldpaw echoed back, following Squirrelwhisker. She missed him already, but they’d still be sleeping in the same den come nightfall, so at least that was something. But Poppyface wouldn’t be there..

“New apprentice blues?” Squirrelwhisker asked. Marigoldpaw realized she’d fallen behind.

“I guess,” she mewed.

“I was the same way. Hey, it’s alright. You’ll get used to it all.” The ginger tolly stopped to let Marigoldpaw catch up.

“Thank you,” Marigoldpaw mewed, grateful. “But-- I’m fine! Let’s go.” She started walking again and tried to make her stride confident, so Squirrelwhisker wouldn’t worry so much.

“If you say so,” Squirrelwhisker mewed, amusement in their voice.

Marigoldpaw had only ever seen Cliffclan territory from the camp, which, while it was definitely pretty, didn’t quite convey everything the way actually being out in it did. She and Squirrelwhisker climbed up ridges, back down hills, and skirted cliffs too sheer for even the most skilled of Cliffclan’s climbers.

Squirrelwhisker showed her the easiest paths, and helped her up the harder ones. By sunhigh Marigoldpaw was covered in a thin layer of orange dust. Not that it was visible; her own coat was orange enough that the only effect was how her fur felt.

By the time the sun had dipped low in the sky, Marigoldpaw was panting hard. She’d seen both the Brushclan border and the Caveclan border. Cliffclan territory was  _ incredible _ \-- Marigoldpaw had seen so many wonderful views she didn’t quite know what to do.

“Let’s head back,” Squirrelwhisker mewed as they stared across the horizon from a cliff they’d both scaled.

Marigoldpaw looked out across the rolling hills and cliffs of Cliffclan territory. “Really?” she wondered. “But I haven’t even learned anything.”

“Haven’t you?” Squirrelwhisker mewed, the amusement back in their tone. They nodded their head at a rock that jutted sharply out of the earth. “Climb that.”

“Really?” Marigoldpaw repeated. She eyed the rock uncertainly. It wasn’t as tall as some of the things she’d climbed today, but it was more steep than she was used to. Still, she couldn’t refuse her mentor, so she padded over to it. She paced around the rock for a moment, studying it, and then took the plunge.

She wobbled for a moment after the first jump, but stabilized quickly. And as she climbed, she realized something; Squirrelwhisker had been teaching her. Everything they’d climbed had been a little more practice. Marigoldpaw, though she was still uncertain, had a better idea of where to put her paws as she climbed than she would have had that morning.

She hauled herself up to the peak of the rock and stood there for a moment. Squirrelwhisker stood below her, almost far enough that their features were distorted. They looked pleased. ‘Now climb down,” they instructed, and Marigoldpaw did. That was a little harder, and once or twice she lost her grip and slid down a tail length before catching herself.

Her paws were sore by the time she was standing with Squirrelwhisker again, but when she licked her pawpads, there was no blood. “Good job,” Squirrelwhisker praised, and Marigoldpaw waved her tail, pleased with herself. Squirrelwhisker continued, "Still think you haven't learned anything?" and when Marigoldpaw shook her head, "Good. You've done really well today, Marigoldpaw. Let's go home."

By the time they got back, the sun was ever closer to the horizon. Squirrelwhisker sent her to the freshkill pile for dinner. A good thing, Marigoldpaw thought. Her belly was rumbling, having not eaten since that morning. She took a sparrow from the pile and carried it over to where Hawthornpaw was.

"Hey!" she mewed to him. He looked even more tired than she was. His coat was covered in a fine film of orange. "Look at you," she teased, and pressed her fur against his to compare the color. "We match!"

"Oh, hah hah," Hawthornpaw mewed, though the genuine amusement in his voice cut through the sarcasm.

“Hah hah yourself,” Marigoldpaw mewed back. “How was Ivyclaw?”

“I learned so much I didn’t learn anything at all,” her brother sighed. "What about you?"

"I saw the whoooole territory," Marigoldpaw mewed. Her tail waved and her bumped her flank against Hawthornpaw. She felt excited and giddy despite the tiredness pulling at her fur. "And I climbed a rock."

"We climb rocks all the time," Hawthornpaw mewed, bumping her back in a less enthusiastic manner. "That's not an accomplishment."

"It is how I did it," Marigoldpaw mewed smugly. She finally bit into her sparrow, and then spent the time she was chewing by shuffling the feathers the bird was shedding. Hawthornpaw snatched one in a paw and pressed it against her fur. She let him, and pressed a feather of her own against him.

"Now we match even more," he mewed, and then yawned. "I feel sore all over, even though we kept claws sheathed. How about you?"

"Sore paws, and I think I bruised a couple places rolling down hills, but that's it. Wanna go find a nest when I finish this?"

"Sure, but hurry up. I'm dead on my paws." Hawthornpaw yawned again, and Marigoldpaw quickly scarfed down the rest of her sparrow. He helped her clean up, and then they were both climbing down the cliff wall to the apprentice's den. It wasn't as deep into the cliff as the nursery had been, but the dip in the cliff stretched much wider to the sides, and there was plenty of moss to choose from, especially since Darkpaw, and Lightpaw weren’t yet inside. Marigoldpaw sniffed around and picked a place that didn't have the smell of another apprentice on it and patted down the moss to make a depression.

Hawthornpaw picked a spot close to her, and they both laid down. Marigoldpaw shifted for a moment, feeling something poke her, but a quick swipe of her paw revealed the feather her brother had stuck to her. She held it up for him to see, and after he snickered at her she stuck it into the nest, out of the way but visible. "A reminder of our first day," she said as gravely as she could. She meant it as a joke, but to her surprise, Hawthornpaw nodded seriously and fished his own matching feather out of his nest and displayed it.

A warm affection bloomed in her chest. Though they'd spent the day apart, they were as close as ever. She was glad for that.

A shadow appeared at the opening of the apprentice den. "Sleep well, darlings," their mother's voice whispered. "I'm so proud of you both," Poppyface mewed, and then she whisked away. Marigoldpaw looked out at the darkening dusk sky and snuggled deeper into her nest.

"Goodnight," she whispered to Hawthornpaw, and he whispered it back. The word curled around Marigoldpaw like a nuzzle from her mother, and sent her softly to sleep.


	6. Four

Oriolekit jerked awake, feeling as if something was chasing her. She waited for the feeling of jaws to bite her, waited for pain, but nothing happened. Her sides heaved. The moss nest around her was scattered and her claws were out, digging into what was left under her. She lurched to her feet, looking around wildly in the nursery.

The faint form of a gray cat sat next to her. She stared at it, confused, and for a brief moment she thought the shape was her mother. Then, from behind her, Darkgaze piped up, mewing, “Oriolekit?” in a sleepy voice.

The gray cat that wasn’t her mother looked past her, at the exit to the tunnel, and Oriolekit was up and barreling out of the nursery, ignoring the cries of her mother and the annoyed tone of Briarflower, displaced over the tiny squeaks of her recently-born kits.

Oriolekit didn’t stop. She ran as hard as she could down the tunnel, feeling the ghostly sensations of something behind her, chasing her, snapping its teeth. It would catch her, if she wasn’t fast enough.

A sob bubbled in her throat. “Crowpaw!” she wailed. “Honeypaw!” She turned a corner, only barely managing to skid so that she didn’t run into the tunnel wall. She broke out into the antechamber and swerved around the Turtle Steps pond. Her feet slid on damp stone but she didn’t stop, just scrambled for her footing and kept going. “Crowpaw! Honeypaw!” she wailed again.

Her friends were at the tunnel exit with their mentors. They were obviously just about to leave. Oriolekit’s heart hammered in her chest. “Wait!” she yowled over the sound of Darkgaze calling her name behind her.

“Oriolekit?” Honeypaw mewed, face twisting in confusion. “What is it?”

She stopped in front of them, sides heaving. She had to force herself to keep from bolting. It was still behind her, waiting to hurt her, chasing her-- “Don’t go,” she begged. “Don’t go! You can’t go! Stay here!”

‘What are you talking about?” Crowpaw mewed. She was beginning to look annoyed. “You know we have a hunting patrol.”

“No!” Oriolekit wailed. “No, no!”

“Oriolekit! What are you doing!” Darkgaze demanded, finally catching up. She looked at Sedgestripe and Larchpelt, mewing, “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

“Tell them they can’t go,” Oriolekit pleaded with her mother. “They have to stay here. With me. Please, Darkgaze. Please tell them they can’t go.” Darkgaze would understand. She wouldn’t let them go. She’d know.

But Darkgaze only shook her head. “They have their duties,” she scolded. Oriolekit’s heart sank.

“No!” she wailed. “They have to stay!” She whipped around, throwing herself at the surprised Crowpaw and Honeypaw’s feet. “Don’t go!”

They refused. She begged. They refused again, and she begged more. Darkgaze tried to pull her away, and Oriolekit wiggled free. They tried to go anyway; she threw herself in front of them and sobbed.

“Fine!” Crowpaw snarled. “You get your way, you snake-heart!”

Oriolekit cowered from the anger she saw on her friend’s faces, but she didn’t relent. Larchpelt, obviously annoyed, ordered, “Clean the elder’s den,” and Sedgestripe ordered the same.

“You’ll help them,” Darkgaze mewed. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but it’s unacceptable, Oriolekit. You won’t ever do this again, or I’ll have Batstar postpone making you an apprentice.”

Oriolekit nodded mutely. She didn’t say another word, just kept her head down and followed the irate Crowpaw and Honeypaw down the tunnel that led to the elder’s den.

They didn’t speak to her. They didn’t even look at her as they rolled up Patchfur and Lizardfang’s musty old bedding. When Patchfur asked what the matter was, Honeypaw sneered, “Oriolekit wouldn’t  _ let _ us leave.” She didn’t bother to stick up for herself. The feeling of teeth an inch from her throat remained, though she didn’t know what it meant.

She carried old moss and grass to the antechamber and left it at the front for Crowpaw and Honeypaw to carry out. Though she was in trouble, she still couldn’t leave the camp, even to get rid of the old bedding.

Oriolekit was just returning to get the new moss Honeypaw had left at the entrance for her when a commotion happened. A flurry of motion whirled in the tunnel as Larchpelt and Sedgestripe stumbled in, Larchpelt supporting a flagging Sedgestripe.

“Get Cactusleaf,” Larchpelt ordered hoarsely. Then he fell to the side, Sedgestripe with him. Their paws were leaving streaks of blood, Oriolekit saw.

Crowpaw, emerging from the tunnel, ran to join Honeypaw, who had already reached his mentor’s side. “Larchpelt, what happened?” Crowpaw demanded. “Great Starclan, are you okay?”

They shifted enough for Oriolekit to see what they were fretting over; Sedgestripe’s tail was a bloody mess, trailing limply on the floor.

“Coyotes,” Sedgestripe grunted in pain as Cactusleaf bustled up to their side, herbs in jaw. “Two of them! Chased us down.”

“We should have been there!” Crowpaw mewed furiously. Honeypaw shot Oriolekit a furious look, and she cowed.

“No!” Larchpelt snapped. “We only barely got away. We’ve been warriors for ages- You haven’t. You wouldn’t have had the stamina to escape.”

“We could have helped!” Honeypaw insisted.

“You would have  _ died _ ,” Sedgestripe snarled. Cactusleaf shushed them. Quietly, fear creeping into their voice, Sedgestripe repeated, “You would have died.”

Honeypaw and Crowpaw glanced at each other, but didn’t say anything.

“What is happening?” Batstar mewed. Oriolekit hadn’t even seen him come in. Quickly, a cat Oriolekit recognized as Tanagerfoot spoke up and explained. Batstar nodded, and didn’t even hesitate as he said, “Take a patrol, Tanagerfoot. At least five warriors. Chase them out. Where did you see them last, Larchpelt?” Information was exchanged, and Tanagerfoot and their patrol left, careful to avoid the smears of blood Larchpelt and Sedgestripe had left.

The teeth pressing in on Oriolekit’s neck lessened and then faded until the chased down feeling was just a horrible memory. She stared hard at her paws and began to back away until her haunches hit the cave wall. She slid into a sitting position and listened as Cactusleaf fixed Sedgestripe up and murmured that the damage wasn’t too bad, their tail would be fine.

Larchpelt was fine too, besides the damage to both his and Sedgestripe’s paws. Cactusleaf sent them to rest with promises to check in on them, and they limped away, supported by Crowpaw and Honeypaw.

Oriolekit shuffled her front paws for a moment after the antechamber had calmed down. Then, hesitantly, Oriolekit stood up to retrieve more of the fresh moss. The elder’s den still needed the bedding changed, after all, and she hadn’t been left off the hook. She was carrying a slightly-too-big ball of moss when Crowpaw and Honeypaw appeared in the warrior’s den’s exit.

“You knew,” Crowpaw mewed. Her voice wasn’t accusatory, or anything at all, really. It wasn’t even a question. Oriolekit lowered her eyes and nodded slightly. Crowpaw wavered a moment, and then mewed, “Thank you.” She and her brother hung back to let Oriolekit edge past to the elder’s den.

“What was all the noise about?” Lizardfang asked, curious.

“Larchpelt and Sedgestripe got attacked by coyotes,” Oriolekit explained, pulling apart the moss ball and tucking it into Patchfur’s half-formed nest.

“Oh dear,” Patchfur mewed. “Are they alright?” Oriolekit assured him they were, and then went to fetch more moss.

Batstar was waiting for her. Crowpaw and Honeypaw stood nearby, odd expressions on their faces. “We’ll take care of the rest,” Honeypaw mewed, nodding at the moss. Oriolekit nodded back and walked past, to where Batstar beckoned her.

“Mind if I talk to you?” he asked. His mew was kind. Oriolekit mewed a tiny assent, and sat down. “Your friends told me that you made quite a scene getting them to stay this morning.”

“They couldn’t go,” Oriolekit mewed, her voice tiny.

“No, and it’s a good thing they listened. Did you know, Oriolekit?”

“Know what?” Oriolekit mewed, just to be contrary. Her paws pricked in discomfort.

“About the coyotes,” Batstar mewed. Not even a touch of impatience colored his voice. Oriolekit was grateful for that. She looked over his shoulder and saw her mothers, watching in trepidation.

“I knew something would happen,” Oriolekit mewed, avoiding the real question. “But before you ask, I don’t know how.”

“Did anyone tell you?” Batstar asked anyway. She shook her head, and he sighed. She didn’t like that sound. It sounded like she’d disappointed him.

She said, “I woke up and I knew. It felt like something was chasing me. But I knew it wasn’t me. It was Crowpaw and Honeypaw. You believe me, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” he assured her. “I know you wouldn’t lie to me. Thank you for talking with me, Oriolekit. You can go now.” Oriolekit watched him for another moment and then slunk away, to where Darkgaze and Astertail were waiting.

“Are you okay, little bird?” Astertail asked anxiously.

“I’m fine,” Oriolekit mewed. “I’m just kind of tired. Can I go take a nap?”

“Of course,” Astertail and Darkgaze said together. They exchanged brief affection, and then Darkgaze led her daughter to the nursery.


	7. Five

Marigoldpaw scrambled up the slope, taking occasional glances down at her brother. Hawthornpaw had fallen far behind, compared to Marigoldpaw, and super far down compared to Ivyclaw and Squirrelwhisker. Their mentors were nearly at the top of the ridge they were scaling.

“You suck at climbing,” Marigoldpaw jeered jokingly, making sure to stretch her words and inflect them as much as possible so her brother would know she was just playing.

“Well  _ you _ ,” Hawthornpaw started, interrupting himself to pull himself up a ledge that jutted out particularly far, “suck at hunting!”

Marigoldpaw gasped in mock shock. “That is so not true!” she mewed, hopping from a rock to another. “You’re just better at it than me. Oh, watch your paws, that’s a loose bit. Yes, there! Now jump! Good job.” She flicked her tail, pleased, and looked down at Hawthornpaw from her perch. When he was close enough, she started up again.

“Enough dawdling,” Ivyclaw called down from the top of the ridge. “Come on! We’re wasting daylight!”

“I’m going slower so Hawthornpaw doesn’t feel so bad,” Marigoldpaw mewed innocently, looking up where her mentor was. She jumped suddenly, yelping, as claws hit her tail. “Hey! No fair!”

Hawthornpaw stared up at her, amused, just below her. He’d caught up while she was teasing. “What was that about going slower?” he mewed, giving himself a push and overtaking her for the lead-- so to speak, anyway.

They launched into a race, but it really was one-sided; only a few moments later and Marigoldpaw was once again a few tail-lengths ahead of him, and then, finally, at the top. The route had been long, going sideways as much as upwards, but she’d made it. She stood next to Squirrelwhisker and watched as Hawthornpaw scrambled up the last bit.

He almost slipped once at the top, a tumble that would have ended horribly, but she caught him by the scruff of his neck, and with Ivyclaw’s help, hauled him up. “Geez,” Hawthornpaw muttered. He had his claws out and stuck to the stone. “That was, um, fun.”

“It was great!” Marigoldpaw mewed, bumping him very gently with her haunches. He bumped her back, and she said, “What’s next?”

“Hunting in groups,” Squirrelwhisker mewed. Marigoldpaw and Hawthornpaw’s eyes got really wide, and Squirrelwhisker purred. “That’s right.” They reached down, plucking a mouse from the ground. They’d carried it all the way up here, and now it was time to show why.

“Get behind that rock,” Ivyclaw instructed as Squirrelwhisker set the mouse on a large open area of the ridge they were on. They joined the others a moment later, and then it was time to wait.

Marigoldpaw kept her eyes trained on the sky, scanning intently for any large silhouettes. “There,” she whispered. Squirrelwhisker shushed her and she pressed herself down further, tensing her muscles for a leap.

The hawk took the bait. Marigoldpaw saw it pull into a dive, heading straight for the mouse Squirrelwhisker had set on the ground. “On my mark,” her mentor whispered. “As soon as I say go. Get ready..”

The hawk got closer.

“Almost..”

Marigoldpaw could see it clearly, its dappled feathers and curved yellow beak. It didn’t see them. It hit the mouse just as Squirrelwhisker meowed, “Now!” and the four cats jumped out of their hiding spot, leaping on the hawk. It screeched, flapping wildly to get away, but Ivyclaw gave a massive leap on top of it and pinned it, legs spread to hold its wings down.

The hawk flailed, snapping that deadly beak. Hawthornpaw raked claws over its eyes, distracting it long enough for Squirrelwhisker to get under its beak and bite its throat. The hawk when limp.

Marigoldpaw hadn’t quite helped in any big way, but she didn’t care. They’d did it! They’d taken down a hawk! She and Hawthornpaw looked at each other, the same glee in each other’s eyes.

“Good job, both of you,” Ivyclaw mewed, stepping off the hawk after Squirrelwhisker made sure it was dead. “Usually for a group hunt you need a minimum of two- More, for bigger birds.”

“We’re the only Clan that hunts like this, right?” Hawthornpaw mewed, ecstatic.

“Yep,” Squirrelwhisker mewed. “I think, anyway. Brushclan and Caveclan use something similar for geese and the like, but we’re the only ones who take down hunter-birds.”

“That’s because we’re the best,” Marigoldpaw mewed smugly, and Hawthornpaw voiced an agreement.

Squirrelwhisker purred in affection, flicking their tail over Marigoldpaw. “Yes we are. Now, let’s head back. I’m sure the elders will like this hawk, and it’s too big to cart around anyway.”

“Alright,” Hawthornpaw and Marigoldpaw mewed together, and then it turned out that there was a much easier way down than they’d been lead to believe. “Oh, seriously,” Hawthornpaw mewed upon seeing the slope-and-ledge combination the other side of the ridge had.

“Practice,” Ivyclaw mewed, and flicked his ear with her tail. She went down first, with Squirrelwhisker, carrying the hawk, close behind her. Marigoldpaw rolled her eyes at her brother and started down, going slower this time to keep an eye on Hawthornpaw. Down was always trickier than up.

But Hawthornpaw had no incidents worth worrying about, and they made it back to the camp easily. Squirrelwhisker left it up to Marigoldpaw and her brother to deliver the hawk to the elders.

“Hello!” Marigoldpaw called into the elder’s den. The den was near the top of the cliff that functioned as Cliffclan’s camp. There was only a short slope to get to the top of the clearing, making it perfect for the older cats.

“Who’s that? Marigoldpaw and Hawthornpaw?” Hailnose blinked through the light, then stood up and yawned. “And what’s that?”

“We had our first group hunt!” Hawthornpaw mewed, pleased. He and Marigoldpaw pulled the hawk into the den, setting it front of the elders. Sorrelflower and Herontail murmured sleepy congratulations; Marigoldpaw suspected the greenleaf warmth was making them lazy.

“It’s for you,” she put in. “Do you need anything else before we go?”

“Our bedding needs to be cleaned out, actually,” Hailnose mewed apologetically.

“Okay! I think we had the rest of mid-day free, so we’ll go get bedding for you. It’ll be nice, right Hawthornpaw?” Marigoldpaw asked.

“Sure. Save those feathers,” he mewed to the elders. “We’ll be back soon.”

They climbed back to the clifftop and informed their mentors about their new job, and the two sent them on their way, with a warrior escort.

Marigoldpaw liked cleaning out dens, actually. Not the part that was stinky, but she liked collecting the moss and grasses for the nests and putting them together. It felt nice to help out, even if it was technically a job she was required to do. She knew Hawthornpaw only tolerated it, though. 

“Cheer up, grumpy,” she mewed to him as they clawed up pawfuls of moss growing by the White River. Rushwhisker yawned loudly as he tore up grass from further back. Marigoldpaw flicked an ear at him and nudged her brother.

“I’ll cheer up,” he meowed theatrically, “when this ordeal is over.” He flopped over on his side dramatically, staring up at her with a faux-horrified look.

“Oh, whatever,” Marigoldpaw snorted, flicking a pawful of moss at him. He let it land with a long, loud sigh, gazing up at the sky with a sorrowful expression.

“The sooner you stop messing around, the sooner we can eat,” Marigoldpaw reminded him, and he sat up immediately.

“True,” he mewed grudgingly. He shook the moss from his pelt and swept it into a pile.

It took three trips to the river to collect enough moss and grass for the nests. By that time, the elders had finished the hawk, and the feathers were dutifully saved. Hawthornpaw and Marigoldpaw scraped the old bedding out of the den and then brought the new stuff in, fixing three nests for the elders and tucking the feathers in to make them even more comfortable.

“Can’t wait to get to my nest,” Hawthornpaw mewed, plumping up Herontail’s nest.

“Don’t forget to eat,” Sorrelflower mewed, settling down into the nest Marigoldpaw had just constructed for him.

“Oh, Hawthornpaw? He would never,” Marigoldpaw teased. “A bird would forget to fly before he missed a meal.”

“It’s true,” Hawthornpaw mewed, back to his dramatics. “I am but a glutton.” He dipped his head in an exaggerated bow to the elders. “Do you think Starclan could ever forgive me?” he asked piteously.

Hailnose answered him gravely. She was a much better actor than Hawthornpaw; where he fought snickers, she was completely serious. “I don’t know, Hawthornpaw,” she mewed. “Are you truly sorry?”

He dropped down onto his belly, wailing, “Oh, I want to be! But alas!”

“Second portions,” Marigoldpaw put in somberly.

“And thirds,” Hawthornpaw agreed. “It’s a wonder I can even walk.”

“Then I’m afraid it’s hopeless,” Hailnose mewed. She sounded so truly devastated that Marigoldpaw had to look at her to catch the twinkle in her eye. “Starclan shall never accept you now.”

Hawthornpaw made a dramatic sound of heartbreak, rolling over onto his side. “Oh!” he yowled. “I knew those extra mice would come back to bite me!”

“And before even the hawk.” Marigoldpaw shook her head in disappointment. “My poor brother… Cursed to roam alone..”

“What’s going on here?” a voice at the den entrance mewed. Marigoldpaw turned to see Lightpaw and Darkpaw. “Did Hailnose eat a bad mouse?”

“We’re just playing,” Hawthornpaw mewed, standing up.

“Oh, alright. We could hear you from up top and Russetfoot sent us to see what was up. Hey, you cleaned the den? Awesome. Now we don’t have to. Thanks!” Darkpaw mewed. She did seem genuinely pleased.

“Yeah, no problem,” Marigoldpaw mewed, and watched them go.

Hawthornpaw rolled his eyes at Marigoldpaw, and she wrinkled her nose back. He turned to Hailnose. “Thanks for the fun, but I actually  _ am _ hungry now-”

“Go on, then,” Sorrelflower mewed. He sounded amused. “Thanks for the entertainment. You’re welcome back here anytime.”

“I will come as soon as I need to attone more,” Hawthornpaw mewed seriously, and swept by Marigoldpaw. She followed him, waving goodbye to the elders with her tail, feeling familiar affection for her brother fuzzing warmly in her chest.


	8. Six

Oriolekit stared into water that stared back. Images flickered in the depths, drawing her in, trapping her, keeping here there and making her watch.

She didn’t want to watch.

She wanted to look away, to wake up, because she knew she was dreaming, she knew, she knew every single time she’d been here--

And she had been here before. She suddenly knew that for a fact. How had she forgotten? How could she forget the pond, and the grass, and the water that wouldn’t let her go?

“It’s okay,” a voice said by her ear. A tail touched her haunches and she realized she was shaking. A paw touched her head and turned it, breaking her unblinking stare at the water.

She shuddered, a deep, full-bodied motion and squeezed her eyes shut. “It’s okay,” the gray cat beside her said again. She knew him, too. He was always there at the pond with her, and sometimes when she was awake, too.

“Why can’t I look away,” she whispered, her eyes still shut.

“I don’t know,” he mewed, and there was a palpable sadness in his tone. “I’m sorry. I wish I could help you.”

“I want to wake up,” she whispered to the cat. She felt his nose touch the top of her head, and then she was blinking in the dark warmth of the nursery. For a moment she caught a glimpse of the faint form of the gray cat, and with each breath she took, the image of the water slid further away from her mind.

* * *

Oriolekit was six moons old before she knew it. In fact, her mothers had to tell her before she remembered it. Somehow, the fact that she was going to be an apprentice completely slipped her mind.

Not that she wasn’t excited. She was! She just.. thought she’d be more excited, maybe. Darkgaze was more excited, it seemed, but also a little sad.

“I’ll be glad to sleep in the warriors den with Astertail again,” she said sometimes. “But I’ll miss taking care of you, Oriolekit.”

Oriolekit didn’t blame her. Darkgaze had been stealing more and more moments alone with her mate, impatient for the day they’d finally be together for more than an occasional patrol.

And so the day finally came when Oriolekit would be an apprentice instead of a kit, and life would change drastically.

She was surprised when her mothers took her aside rather than straight to the antechamber to wait for Batstar to call for the ceremony.

“We have something we need to tell you,” Astertail mewed. Her voice was nervous, and she looked it; she only took small glances at her daughter, rather than always looking at her.

“We figured it should be now. You’ll be very busy as an apprentice soon, and..” Darkgaze hesitated. “We don’t want you to think bad of us, Oriolekit, or of yourself.”

“What is it? Is it very bad?” Oriolekit mewed. Her paws shuffled. “Should I be worried?”

“No! No it’s.. It’s from the past. You see, um..” Astertail stopped. She and Darkgaze exchanged looks. “You see..”

Oriolekit’s jaw dropped as Astertail spoke. They weren’t Caveclan. Not originally. Oriolekit was half-clan.

“Shaleclan and Brushclan?” she mewed, confused. “But then how did..”

“Batstar let us stay,” Astertail mewed. “It was very, very nice of him to, and we’ve mostly managed to fit right in..”

“Lizardfang and Patchfur don’t like you,” Oriolekit mewed. She remembered the hesitation they’d had at doing Darkgaze a favor.

“No. The older cats have had the hardest time getting used to us.” Darkgaze swished her tail. “Are you mad?” she asked. Her voice was small.

Oriolekit sat on her haunches and thought. “No,” she mewed eventually. “You love each other. Even cats with bees for brains could see that. That’s all that matters, right?”

“Yes,” Astertail mewed, relieved. “We were so worried you’d be angry at us.. We love you very much, Oriolekit.”

“I love you both too,” Oriolekit chirped. She took a moment to nuzzle both of her parents, purring.

When they reached the antechamber, the Clan was already waiting for them. Batstar beckoned Oriolekit forward with a nod of his head and she went willingly, taking a moment to brush against her mothers. She saw Honeypaw and Crowpaw, watching her. She hadn’t spoken very much to them since the day they’d cleaned the elder’s den together. She wondered what they were thinking.

Her gaze was drawn to the pond. Faintly she could see herself in the water, and under her reflection was.. “Oriolekit,” Darkgaze hissed, jarring her out of her thoughts. She’d stopped at the water. Oriolekit flicked her tail apologetically and hurried up to Batstar.

He turned and walked down the tunnel, careful to keep his tail on Oriolekit’s shoulder to guide her. “So they told you then?” he murmured so only she could hear.

“Yes,” Oriolekit mewed back, and she heard Batstar make a noise that told her he’d heard her. Batstar had let them in the Clan, but Oriolekit wondered what he really thought about them.

She didn’t get a chance to wonder. The tunnel gradually darkened until she was relying on her whiskers and hearing alone, along with Batstar’s tail. The air grew heavier, weighing on her. She thought she heard a whisper. It sounded familiar, almost, fading in and out of her ears and then vanishing entirely.

She felt when the tunnel opened into the cavern where no light showed. Batstar lead her further in and stopped her, telling her with a simple flick of his tail not to move. She heard him move away. Something told her not to sit.

The whispering started again, only briefly. She strained to hear it, but the soft pawsteps of her clanmates as they joined her in the cavern drowned the voices out. She waited for them, straining to hear once the cavern had gone still again.

The silence stretched, pressing in on her until she couldn’t even hear her own breathing. Batstar’s voice was almost a light in the dark as he spoke. “Your Clan’s hearts beat with your own,” he whispered just as he had for Crowpaw and Honeypaw’s ceremony. “Listen. Hear your Clan in you.”

The silence crawled in again, but this time, as she listened, Oriolekit heard a thrum. It was different from when she’d been on the sidelines. It was directed at her, she realized. The sound was her Clan telling her she was one of them, that they’d be at her back until she joined Starclan.

_ You _ , whispered the faint voices. They were off sync, the word blurring together and fading in and out, layering over itself with a dozen voices.  _ Us _ , the voices spoke, and then once more,  _ We _ .

A shiver ran down Oriolekit’s spine. Did this happen every time?

Batstar’s physical voice was a welcome change. “Your name,” he breathed, and she felt the words curl around her, changing her. For a moment she hung there, nameless, stripped of her identity. “Oriolepaw,” he continued, and the name settled like a familiar friend on her pelt. “Your mentor. Fawntail,” Batstar whispered as if bestowing a gift. And it was; she had been very fond of Fawntail, when Crowpaw and Honeypaw were still in the nursery.

“Oriolepaw,” the Clan whispered a heartbeat after Batstar spoke. It was different from how the insubstantial whispers had been. She couldn’t pick out any individual voices, the sound was so perfectly timed.

She heard the heartbeats again, the sound of her Clan perfectly in tune with each other. Oriolepaw heard the sound of Batstar landing on the ground. He must have been on top of something high up. His tail brushed her again and she followed him, trusting him to lead her out of the cavern and into the antechamber. She was glad when light appeared in the distance and she could see again.

Oriolepaw was glad to be in the light, where the air was easy to breathe. She didn’t know if she liked the pitch black cavern. She moved across the antechamber, mentally testing out her new name. Her mothers murmured congratulations and told her how proud they were. Warm affection simmer in her throat, almost too much.

She moved to the Turtle Steps pond for a drink, hoping the cool water would bring her back down to earth. She lapped up a few drops and then paused, staring into the water again. The ripples stilled. The water seemed to open. Something itched at the back of her mind. A memory surfaced, floating on top of the pond.

And then whatever it was dropped back under like a stone as Fawntail mewed, “Well! Your mentor, am I?” Oriolepaw jumped, jerking her face away from the water. Fawntail continued, “Don’t think it’ll be all games like it was in the nursery, Oriolepaw. I’m going to make sure you’re the best warrior you can be.”

“I-I wouldn’t think anything different,” Oriolepaw mewed, stammering. Fawntail’s expression softened.

“Good,” she mewed. “But we’ll still have fun, won’t we?” A mischievous look crossed her face, and Oriolepaw remembered why she was fond of Fawntail. “Come on, let’s get started,” the molly mewed, heading for the cave exit.

Oriolepaw chanced a look at the water, worry creasing her face. Then she jerked herself away and followed her mentor, pace a little more nervous than it should be.


	9. Seven

Three moons. Marigoldpaw and her brother had been apprentices for three moons. Hawthornpaw was amazing at hunting, even better than Lightpaw and Darkpaw, both of whom were almost warriors. Marigoldpaw could climb better than all three of them put together, or so she boasted.

“Assessment!” Squirrelwhisker had mewed. “We have to see how you’re doing. Both of you,” they added, and Ivyclaw nodded.

“Hunting, both of you,” Ivyclaw mewed. “Separate, if you please. Oh, don’t give me that look, you can do battle training together when you’re done.” And she and Hawthornpaw went their own ways. Marigoldpaw headed out into the hills, toward the White River. She’d look for a goose, or a swan, something impressive. Wouldn’t Hawthornpaw be jealous of _that?_

She smirked to herself, thinking of his face if she actually did bring back a goose. She’d be content with a duck, honestly. Actually, she’d be happy with anything, as long as she passed, now that she thought about it.

Marigoldpaw shook her fur out and kept going, knowing Squirrelwhisker was tailing her. She scaled a cliff, and then another, climbing to get a good view of the territory before she started to the River. There was plenty of time, after all. All day, nearly.

She didn’t waste any opportunities, of course. If there was a bird to be caught, she caught it, though that only happened twice. She carried both catches down the cliffs with her. There was an easier route back and she didn’t want to have to climb for ages to retrieve fresh-kill.

Marigoldpaw liked the river. It was cooler near it. The one bad thing about the Cliffclan camp was how hot it got sometimes, with the sun baking down directly onto the stone.

But here the temperature wasn’t so extreme. Marigoldpaw took a drink, slaking the minor thirst she’d built up climbing. She buried her birds near a rock so she’d remember where she put them and continued down river.

There was plenty of prey near the river, even when it was frog-river and low. Even prey needed to drink. But she had two birds already, and if she caught too much prey, there’d be no way she could carry it all back, even with Squirrelwhisker’s help.

She wondered if her mentor was mad at her for passing up the mice she could see. Their name was Squirrel _whisker_ for a reason, after all, and they didn’t get that by turning their nose up at voles. But surely they’d understand, especially when Marigoldpaw brought back a duck.

She kept walking downriver, careful to go slow and listen, keeping her nose downwind. She’d only smelled water-bird once, and hoped she’d recognize it when she scented it.

She didn’t smell duck, or goose, or anything, hard as she tried. She got far enough down river that she had to turn back. Was this the right season for duck? Did ducks have a season? She wavered on that question even as she walked back to where she’d buried her birds, taking the time to pick up a couple smaller pieces of prey along the way.

Oh well. Better than nothing. She’d pass anyway; that much was a given, even if she couldn’t show Hawthornpaw up. Even if she did, he’d probably have caught a hawk all by himself. He might have anyway.

Suddenly she wanted to see. She quickly dug her birds back up and waited until Squirrelwhisker appeared to help her carry them back.

“Good job, though I don’t know what you think you were doing for the last bit,” her mentor mewed.

“I couldn’t find a duck,” Marigoldpaw explained. Squirrelwhisker snorted and picked up her mouse and shrew.

They headed back together, scaling a couple cliffs along the way. They were close to the camp when it happened, they only had one rise in the way, and for the rest of her life Marigoldpaw would regret that she’d tried to find a duck. She might have been able to do something if she’d hurried.

A shriek tore the air, audible even from their distance. The sound was familiar, echoing through the cliffs, a sound of horror and heartbreak that Marigoldpaw couldn’t comprehend then. But she did later.

It was her mother’s scream. Marigoldpaw dropped the birds she’d caught as soon as the meaning of the sound registered in her mind. She ran, leaping, scrambling up the rise faster than she ever had climbed something before, not caring that she might slip and fall, and later she wished she had. It would have saved her from what she saw.

Poppyface screamed again. Her voice was hoarse, but the emotion in it was just as palpable as the first noise had been. It faded into a deep, heartbreaking moaning, falling with Poppyface as she slid into a laying position.

Below the moan Marigoldpaw heard a soft gasp, an intake of breath only barely managed. Her eyes followed the noise to its source and she fell without moving.

Blood and dust stained Hawthornpaw’s white coat, turning it a mockery of his mother and sister’s orange color. A jagged piece of rock pinned his back half to the ground. As she watched, stumbling forward, Ivyclaw shoved herself against it, trying to push it out of the way. She gasped, desperate, and shoved again. Sheepfur joined her, and then Kestrelheart. Marigoldpaw hadn’t even seen them show up.

Together, their combined bulk shifted the boulder. Hawthornpaw shrieked, almost as loud as Poppyface had been. Their mother screamed, “Stop! You’re hurting him!” but they didn’t, not until the rock was off of him completely. Poppyface moaned again, pulling herself to his side with her front paws.

And then Larkheart was there, sniffing over Hawthornpaw, moving quickly, and then slowly. He backed away. “Help him!” Poppyface shrieked, but Larkheart only shook his head.

Marigoldpaw felt herself stumble forward, down the rest of the slope she’d stopped on. Ivyclaw met her eyes, and spoke. “He- he was climbing- The rock.. It was loose, he.. He missed his step. He hit the rock.”

And then it hit him, Marigoldpaw thought blankly, half-comprehending.

But Hawthornpaw was still alive. He was breathing, his eyes were moving. “Help him,” she begged Larkheart. Her voice lacked the venom her mother’s had. Larkheart’s head bent. Marigoldpaw felt her legs start to give out. She pushed herself forward, letting herself fall at Hawthornpaw’s side.

His mouth moved to say her name, but only a wet noise came out. She saw blood on his teeth. “Don’t speak,” she begged. “Save your words. Please, Hawthornpaw. Please. You’re going to be okay.”

She heard her own words, distant, so long ago. “ _You suck at climbing_ ,” she’d said. Why hadn’t she helped him get better? She’d only teased him. If she’d taught him, if she’d helped..

Hawthornpaw touched her with a paw. It seemed to cost him much to move it. He left a streak of blood where he touched her, but she didn’t care. “Don’t,” she pleaded. His breathing was getting shallower.

She heard her mother. “Give him his warrior name,” she said. Marigoldpaw looked up to see Brightstar. Her face was sad. “Please,” Poppyface said, her voice coated with desperation. “Don’t let him go to Starclan without it. Please, Brightstar.”

Yes, Marigoldpaw wanted to say. He deserves it. Please. Her gaze fell back to her brother, but he wasn’t looking at her anymore. He was staring at Brightstar. Their leader looked back, and nodded.

“A warrior goes to you,” she mewed, head to the sky. The stars were there, Marigoldpaw knew, even if she couldn’t see them. “A brave warrior, promising, strong. Know him for the warrior he is. Accept him not as Hawthornpaw, but as Hawthornpelt. Speed him along his journey, keep him from suffering, walk with him so he’s not alone. Care for him as we cannot. Love him as we do.”

“Hawthornpelt,” Marigoldpaw burst out, the roughness of her voice grating. He looked at her, head barely moving. “Hawthornpelt!” she repeated, like a chant. Like a ceremony. Like the ceremony they would have had. They should have had. Together.

“Hawthornpelt!” Ivyclaw joined in, and then Brightstar, and then everyone, even their mother. “Hawthornpelt! Hawthornpelt!”

Marigoldpaw saw him die. She saw when his breathing stopped, when his head lolled to the side, and when his eyes dimmed. She shrieked his name even after he was dead. He couldn’t leave while she was saying it. He couldn’t leave her while she called for him.

But he did.

Squirrelwhisker silenced her. Her mentor laid their head over Marigoldpaw’s back, stopping her voice, turning off the ragged sound of her cries.

“Poppyface,” she whispered, her throat raw. Her mother turned towards the sound of her name, but her eyes were glassy. Marigoldpaw stepped towards her. “Poppyface,” she repeated. Slowly, her mother’s head lowered. Marigoldpaw reached out, seeking comfort, seeking anything.

Poppyface only looked at her, and then she stopped even that. Her head fell, eyes training back on the broken form of Hawthornpelt.

Mother, Marigoldpaw mouthed. No sound came out. She stepped forward, bumping against her mother’s leg. Poppyface didn’t react.

“Come with me,” Squirrelwhisker whispered. They pressed against her side, nudging her along. Marigoldpaw stared at her mother, turning her head to watch her even as she was lead away.

Mother, she mouthed again, hoping she’d hear, hoping she’d know, somehow, that Marigoldpaw needed her. That she needed Marigoldpaw.

Poppyface never looked back at her.

* * *

 

Far away, Oriolepaw looked up from where she was following Fawntail, staring northward. It took a moment for Fawntail to notice she had stopped.

“What is it?” Fawntail asked, ears pricked. She glanced where Oriolepaw was staring.

Oriolepaw didn’t answer for several moments. “Sorry,” she mewed finally. “I thought.. Sorry. Let’s keep going.”


	10. Eight

Marigoldpaw heard murmurs outside the den. They drifted around her, asking for attention, but she refused. She refused again when they got louder, and when the murmurs turned into Lightpaw asking her, voice gentle, if she was alright. She turned her head away.

“It’s been two days,” she heard Darkpaw mutter. Lightpaw shushed her.

“Larkheart said to let her grieve for as long as she needs to,” Lightpaw hissed at her. Darkpaw sighed.

“But it’s going to be hard to clean the den around her.” Darkpaw’s voice held a hint of a whine.

“Get over it.”

Marigoldpaw wished they would shut up. It was hard enough sleep in the apprentice den without.. without Hawthornpelt. Hard enough to listen to Lightpaw and Darkpaw, to hear them bicker and squabble, just like she’d always done with.. She squeezed her eyes shut against the flare of pain in her chest and buried her head deeper into her nest.

Lightpaw and Darkpaw shuffled around her, dragging out bits of moss from the back of the den. It was only when they moved closer, disassembling Hawthornpelt’s nest that she moved, shaking off the moss and grass, begging, “Stop.” She stood up on lurching paws, stumbling out of her nest. “Let me. Please.”

Darkpaw dropped the bit of moss she’d picked up without a word, but Lightpaw dipped her head in a nod. Marigoldpaw kept her head down, staring at the half-torn apart nest.

It still smelled like him. Only a little, but enough, enough to send splinters of pain down her throat. She pawed apart the nest, tearing it beyond recognition, and stopped. She stepped closer, dipping her head toward a flash of mottled brown.

The feather. That day felt forever ago. Their apprentice ceremony.. The feather. She still had hers, she’d saved it from every cleaning, but she hadn’t known he’d done the same. It had felt sentimental and silly to share that. Like he’d laugh at her.

But he had kept his, too. It had been important to him. Her breath burst out of her in a gasping pant, and she heard the flurry of Lightpaw checking on her. “Fine,” she mewed. “Fine, I’m okay,” but she wasn’t. Love and grief tangled in her heart, weighing her down, making her head spin.

She pulled the feather from the moss and set it on her nest, tucking it in where she kept her own. There. Together. Things that belonged together should stay together.

Lightpaw touched her shoulder. “Let me help you,” she whispered. “Please. If I lost Darkpaw.. You shouldn’t carry that alone. Let me help, okay?”

Marigoldpaw sucked in a trembling breath and nodded. Her legs were shaking as she and Lightpaw cleaned up the moss, taking it outside the den. “I’ll do the rest,” Lightpaw mewed. “When was the last time you ate? You should go get something.”

“Where’s Poppyface?” Marigoldpaw asked instead. She wasn’t hungry. She didn’t know if she’d ever be hungry again.

Lightpaw hesitated. “I think.. She might be in the warrior’s den.”

“Thank you,” Marigoldpaw murmured. She paused for a moment and then nudged Lightpaw with her head, only briefly. The older apprentice nudged her back, and then Marigoldpaw was moving away, leaping half-heartedly up ledges until she got to the warrior’s den.

“Poppyface?” she whispered inside. There was only one nest with anyone in it, a familiar shape Marigoldpaw knew like the back of her paw. The shape moved, sitting up into a shaft of light, and Marigoldpaw stepped inside. “Poppyface,” she whispered again, moving closer.

“What is it?” her mother asked. Her voice was flat. Marigoldpaw’s steps stuttered.

“I miss you,” she mewed, hope tinging her tone. Poppyface didn’t reply, and Marigoldpaw chanced stepping closer. She waited for Poppyface to lean towards her, waited for anything at all, any minor comfort her mother was able to give.

Instead Poppyface said, “This is the warrior’s den,” in that same flat tone. Marigoldpaw felt her stomach drop.

“I just..,” she mewed uncertainly. “I miss you.” Please, she added to herself. Please, Poppyface. We’re all we have.

Poppyface sighed. Her paws slid out from under her and she laid back down, curling up and turning her face from Marigoldpaw.

“Poppyface,” Marigoldpaw whispered one last time as she backed out of the den. Poppyface didn’t move again, didn’t even twitch an ear. Marigoldpaw left.

* * *

 

“I’m glad you decided to come out here with me,” Squirrelwhisker meowed. “I’ve missed you.”

Marigoldpaw didn’t answer. She wanted nothing more than to curl back up in her nest and stay there forever, but.. Something had told her she couldn’t. She’d only stopped in to the apprentice’s den long enough for Lightpaw to tell her, “I saved your feathers,” and to see that she had, that the feathers were buried into the new moss Lightpaw and her sister had set up.

“Hunting practice?” Squirrelwhisker asked. Marigoldpaw looked up to see a hopeful expression on their face.

“Whatever you want,” she mewed eventually. Squirrelwhisker’s expression dropped.

“Well,” they said eventually. She could hear the disappointment in their voice.  “How about we just.. See what the day brings.”

“Okay,” Marigoldpaw mewed, letting Squirrelwhisker set the pace and direction.

They walked for a long while. Too long for Marigoldpaw to keep track of, but then, maybe it wasn’t such a long while at all. When she looked back, she could clearly see the ridge the camp lay on.

“I talked to Russetfoot,” Squirrelwhisker mewed eventually. Marigoldpaw glanced up at them. “She’s agreed to let you go to the next Gathering.”

“Why?” Marigoldpaw mouthed, unable to make a sound.

Squirrelwhisker understood anyway. “I think it’ll be good for you. It would be your second, right?”

Marigoldpaw remembered the first Gathering, right after they’d become apprentices, a little of every clan calling her and Hawthornpaw’s names. He had been so excited.. So had she, now that she thought of it. Funny. “Yes,” she said eventually, remembering that Squirrelwhisker expected an answer.

“It’ll be okay, Marigoldpaw,” her mentor said gently. “It’s something to look forward to, alright?”

“Alright.” Squirrelwhisker didn’t seem satisfied with that reaction, but it was the only one Marigoldpaw was able to give.

“Come on,” her mentor said after a moment. “Let’s keep going.”

But it didn’t get better, and Squirrelwhisker gave up soon enough and took them back to camp. “We’ll try again later,” they said to Marigoldpaw. “You’ll feel better soon, and we’ll get back to work.”

Marigoldpaw hoped so. Squirrelwhisker seemed a little disappointed.

They took the long way around back to camp, avoiding the area where Hawthornpelt had died. Maybe she’d visit it someday. Maybe not. She still hadn’t been to the Vale, where he’d been buried.

She sat down at the top of the cliff, trying to figure out if she was hungry or not. She still hadn’t eaten. It didn’t feel like it mattered. Squirrelwhisker padded across the plateau, sitting beside Ivyclaw. Marigoldpaw’s stomach twisted a little. No, she wasn’t hungry.

The wind blew their conversation towards her. “How are you holding up?” Squirrelwhisker asked.

“As well as can be expected, I think,” Ivyclaw muttered. She hesitated. “How.. how is Marigoldpaw?”

Squirrelwhisker shook their head. “She left the camp, but.. I don’t know, Ivyclaw. I don’t know.”

Marigoldpaw dipped her head as they looked over at her. She felt their eyes staring.

“It’s all my fault,” Ivyclaw choked out. “I knew that cliff was unstable. I thought he could handle it, I..” The sorrow in her voice ignited something in Marigoldpaw’s stomach.

“Why did you let him.”

Ivyclaw jerked in surprise. Marigoldpaw’s voice was flat and simmering. “Then why did you let him? You knew he needed work at climbing.” She found herself on her paws, striding toward Ivyclaw.

“I’m sorry,” Ivyclaw mewed.

“Sorry? He’s dead. He’s dead!” Her voice rose, and she knew she was drawing the attention of everyone on the plateau. “He shouldn’t be! There was no reason for him to die!” Her voice broke. “Why didn’t we help him,” she mewed, volume falling. “Ivyclaw, why didn’t we help him.”

“I don’t know,” Ivyclaw whispered. “I wish I knew. I wish I had helped him.”

“It’s too late for wishes.”

“I wish it wasn’t,” Ivyclaw mewed, hanging her head. Marigoldpaw let herself walk the last couple of pawsteps forward, until the top of her head rested against Ivyclaw’s shoulder, and Ivyclaw raised her head until it was resting on her back.

“I don’t blame you,” Marigoldpaw murmured. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” Ivyclaw whispered back, the relief and sadness in her voice palpable. “I’m sorry too.” They stayed like that for a long time, comforting each other, until finally Ivyclaw pushed Marigoldpaw away gently. “Let’s get you something to eat,” she suggested, soft. When Marigoldpaw nodded, Ivyclaw sighed.

“Here,” Squirrelwhisker mewed. They set down a bird in front of her. She looked at it for a long time until Ivyclaw nudged her gently, and finally Marigoldpaw took a bite.

It tasted like sand, but Marigoldpaw ate it anyway, if only to please her mentor and Ivyclaw.


	11. Nine

"Oriolepaw, are you paying attention?" Fawntail mewed to her apprentice, voice laced with annoyance.

Oriolepaw jerked out of her daze, chastised. Her ears flushed hot. "Sorry," she muttered. She shook her head to rid herself of the cobwebs that clouded her thoughts, but only marginally succeeded. "What was that, Fawntail?"

Fawntail sighed. "You've been so scattered lately. Honestly, you've made hardly any progress at all, so I don't think you deserve it, but.." She paused, flicking her tail thoughtfully. "You're going to the Gathering tomorrow night."

"I am?" Oriolepaw mewed, surprised. "Really?"

"I wouldn't lie," Fawntail mewed. "So yes. Darkgaze and Astertail asked me to get you permission to go. I'm sure you know why."

Oriolepaw' heart thumped in her chest. "I do," she agreed eagerly. She had kin in Brushclan and Shaleclan. Acornfoot, Darkgaze's mother, a brown tabby molly who always seemed to be pleased about something; Hawkstripe, Darkgaze's brother, who looked just like their mother and seemed exceptionally friendly; and, from Shaleclan there was-

"Oriolepaw! Get your head out of the clouds!" Fawntail scolded. Oriolepaw jumped, her thought process interrupted.

"Sorry," she muttered again.

"I don't know what's gotten into you," Fawntail mewed. "You were never like that in the nursery."

"Sorry," Oriolepaw felt compelled to say again. "I was just thinking about my kin."

"Have your parents told you much about them?" Fawntail asked.

"No. They want it to be a surprise," Oriolepaw mewed slowly, uncomfortable concern churning in her stomach at the realization that she knew their names anyway.

Fawntail must have seen something in her face, because she mewed, "Are you alright? Is there something bothering you?"

"I don't know," Oriolepaw said, mostly honestly. "I, um.. I don't know."

"You can talk to me," Fawntail mewed gently. "I'm your mentor, after all."

I think I'm losing my mind, Oriolepaw thought. I know things I shouldn't. How can you help with that? But in the end she said nothing, just shook her head and kept her eyes down.

"Okay, Oriolepaw," Fawntail mewed a little sadly. "Just.. keep that in mind, okay?"

"Alright." Oriolepaw wrestled with the guilt of making Fawntail feel bad. She was a wonderful mentor, really. It wasn't her fault Oriolepaw was terrible at learning. She didn't know why it happened, but sometimes she just kind of tuned out. She needed to get a hold of it. The spacing out was becoming a real problem, and she didn't want Fawntail taking the fall for her own failings.

"Oriolepaw," Fawntail mewed, bringing her back to her senses.

Oriolepaw shook her head in agitation. "Sorry," she mewed for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

* * *

Darkgaze fretted, checking Oriolepaw over to make sure she looked okay. "I'm so excited," she mewed, and rasped her tongue over Oriolepaw's ear. Oriolepaw wished she would hurry; Batstar would call for the all-ready at any moment, and she didn't want them to miss it.

"You seem more nervous to me," Oriolepaw muttered at her paws, long-suffering.

"It's a mix," Darkgaze mewed. She seemed troubled. "I hope they like you." She’d already explained about Hawkstripe and Acornfoot, her brother and mother.

"Me too," Astertail mewed. "I haven't spoken to my father since I left Shaleclan.."

"I know your sister will love her, anyway," Darkgaze put in, nuzzling Astertail.

"Silverfur couldn't hate a coyote. But you're right." Astertail sighed. "I'm going to introduce you to him anyway, but don't be surprised if Rabbitstep doesn't take to you."

"I won't be," Oriolepaw promised. She hesitated, then closed her eyes. A still pond surface appeared in her mind's eye. The depths swirled, darkened, and then the face of a cat she'd never seen before appeared. He was dark brown, a nick in his ear, and his expression was angry. The image changed, blurring and then solidifying into-

"Oriolepaw? Are you alright?" Darkgaze mewed. The image of the water shattered and Oriolepaw blinked open her eyes, feeling fuzzy and almost dizzy.

"Oh, yes," she said quickly, chasing away the dizziness by giving her coat a quick shake. "Just fine."

"It's time to go. You missed Batstar's call," Astertail mewed. "Come on, we don't want to lag behind." She nudged Oriolepaw to her feet and they set off, following the cats accompanying them to the gathering out of the cave system.

The group headed west towards the Palegrounds, fording a very low spot in the White River, into the sandy hollow that served as the meeting place of the Clans. And it was very aptly named, as Oriolepaw found. It was much paler in color compared to much of the badlands, at least as far as she had seen. Two of the other three Clans were already there, more cats than Oriolepaw had ever seen.

"It's alright," Darkgaze mewed, noticing how overwhelmed her daughter had begun to look. "None of them can hurt you. It isn't allowed." That wasn't quite what Oriolepaw was worried about, but she appreciated the reassurance anyway. Darkgaze continued, "Over this way. I see Acornfoot and Hawkstripe." She was shivering a little, and her ears were back.

"It'll be okay," Oriolepaw assured her, and Astertail purred on Darkgaze's other side.

"Oh, I hope so," Darkgaze murmured as they reached the two brown cats. Acornfoot noticed them first, nudging Hawkstripe as she turned fully in their direction. "This is Oriolepaw," Darkgaze blurted immediately, and then twitched in frustration. "I mean, Acornfoot, Hawkstripe, this is Oriolepaw, our daughter."

Acornfoot's face had lit up. She looked completely delighted, exactly how Oriolepaw had expected her to look. "Hello," she mewed. "Oh, look at you." She bent to touch noses with Oriolepaw, and in her eyes Oriolepaw could already see affection. A fuzzy warmness curled in her belly.

"Hello," she mewed back, pleased.

"Hey," Hawkstripe mewed. His face was crinkled into a smile. "It's good to finally see you. Astertail wouldn't stop going on about you at every Gathering."

"And now you can see why," Astertail mewed, faux smugness in her voice. "She's the most perfect kit ever."

Acornfoot purred. "She sure is. Oh, but I'm sure you have others to introduce her to." She looked a bit sad at the thought, but drew back.

"I'll talk to you again before the Gathering is over," Oriolepaw promised. "I've been really wanting to meet you, too," she added. She was sad to part from her Brushclan kin already, but there was Shaleclan kin to meet, too.

"They should be over here," Astertail mewed when they had parted from Acornfoot and Hawkstripe. "Silverfur!" she called suddenly, catching the attention of a pretty silver molly.

"Astertail! Darkgaze!" Silverfur mewed. "And this must be Oriolekit. Oriolepaw now, of course. Hello."

"Hello," Oriolepaw said to her aunt, reaching up to touch noses with her.

Silverfur twitched an ear. She blinked slowly, and then looked up at Astertail. "Why don't I talk to Darkgaze while you go see Rabbitstep? He's over there," she mewed, indicating with her tail. "And Astertail.."

"I won't get my hopes up," Astertail assured her. "Thank you, Silverfur. It's good to see you."

"You, too. Let's talk again soon, Oriolepaw," Silverfur mewed, giving her a friendly flick with her tail.

"This way," Astertail mewed, sounding a little tired. Oriolepaw let herself be led to another place, squeezing between groups of cats. And there, in front of them, was the brown tom Oriolepaw had seen in the water. He turned, flicking the ear with the nick in it, and his face fell into a displeased expression. He didn't say anything, didn't even move, as Astertail mewed, "Rabbitstep.. This is your granddaughter, Oriolepaw."

"Hello," Oriolepaw offered. She flinched back when Rabbitstep's lip curled, face morphing into the one she had seen in her thoughts. His fangs glinted in the light of the full moon.

"I.. I thought you might want to meet her," Astertail said uncertainly, leaning back.

"I don't," Rabbitstep mewed curtly.

Astertail cringed. "Okay." The word was small. She stepped back once, then twice, always hesitantly, like she hoped he would change his mind, and then she turned. "Come on, Oriolepaw," she mewed, moving back towards where Darkgaze and Silverfur were. Oriolepaw saw her face as she walked past, twisted into an expression of grief. She had never seen her mother so upset.

Oriolepaw didn't move. She turned her face back to Rabbitstep and stared, and he stared back, not blinking. She tilted her head, and he didn't react. "You're cruel," she said finally. "She still loves you, but you don't care."

"You don't know anything," he snapped, but she wasn't finished. Water rose behind him, a mirage of shining, glinting light, spreading out and blocking out everything but the silhouette of Rabbitstep and the barest shape of another cat. Words poured out of the water, out of the mouth of the faint cat, and she repeated them, knowing she was repeating herself.

"She did what made her happy and you hate her for it. How can you treat her like that? Don't you love her? Isn't she your daughter?" Oriolepaw's tone didn't rise in volume or anger. She spoke frankly. "My mothers wouldn't ever treat me like that, even if I did break the warrior code."

"You don't know anything," Rabbitstep repeated with a snarl, fur bristling. The light shimmering off the ghostly water shone on his fur, and the other Oriolepaw, the one in the water, continued speaking.

Oriolepaw followed after her. "You can't treat love like that, as if it's conditional," she mewed. "You can't take it away when someone makes you mad. You're the one who doesn't know anything." And I know too much, Oriolepaw thought with a horrible, sinking feeling. The Oriolepaw in the water turned as if to look at her as the mirage faded. It left her suddenly aware of the throng of cats around them, listening when they shouldn't be.

For a moment Oriolepaw had the fear that Rabbitstep would use his claws on her. He was digging them hard into the pale sand of the hollow. She couldn't see his face, as he had it lowered, but his sides were heaving. Then, suddenly, the tension went out of him. "You're right," he mewed. The sound was hollow. He lifted his head, and the same grief that had been on Astertail's face twisted his now. They looked a lot alike, Oriolepaw realized. "Oriolepaw is your name, isn't it? I'm sorry, Oriolepaw."

"It's not too late to fix it," she mewed at him. He sighed. "She'd forgive you. I know she would," Oriolepaw pressed. He stood up, slowly. "All you have to do is say you're sorry to her. You did it for me." He hesitated a moment more and then he walked away, through the cats that were ringing them.

Her ears flushed hot as she took in their stares, uncomfortable at the attention. There was a murmur around her. She caught "Half-clan," hissed from a derisive voice. Whatever, she thought to herself, furious. She flicked her tail and pushed her way out of the barrier of cats, head down. Discomfort and fear twisted her paws and she didn't notice the pale brown cat in her path until she'd bumped into him.

He shifted irritably, muttering something, and then froze when he saw her. She cowed from the look in his eyes. It was cold, edged with anger, and she realized she had seen him near where she'd met Hawkstripe and Acornfoot.

"Sorry," she whispered. He didn't answer, just swept his tail around his paws and turned back around. She swallowed hard and edged around him, feeling his eyes on her as she moved away. Something told her look behind her, and when she did, she saw the water rushing towards her, swamping her, forcing more words out of her mouth. No, she thought, no, but they came anyway. "Hawkstripe loves you," she mewed, wishing she could choke them back. "He-- he does."

The cat-- and she knew, very suddenly, that his name was Shrewpelt--dropped the angry look from his face, replacing it with a shocked expression that might have been comical, if the water still glistening behind him didn't spur her to run away.

Darkgaze caught her, just a few steps away. She was looking past Oriolepaw, eyes trained on Shrewpelt. "Did he say anything to you?" she asked. Her tone was odd. Oriolepaw couldn't parse out the meaning.

"No," she mewed. "He just.. kind of glared. Who is he?"

"I'll tell you later," Darkgaze promised. "Come on. The Gathering is starting." And she was right; all four Clan leaders were standing on top of the rock Oriolepaw knew was the Palerock. She and Darkgaze had enough time to take a seat before the leaders were calling for attention.

* * *

 

Marigoldpaw didn't want to be here. The crowds felt stifling, and the leaders had taken forever to start the announcements. The only interesting thing so far had been when a small crowd had formed around two cats. Marigoldpaw had only caught the tail end of that, but it was still enough to figure out that the tortoiseshell apprentice was apparently half-clan.

Merlinstar didn't even say anything interesting when the Gathering finally started for real, just reported that everything was fine. Cloudstar announced a new litter of kits.

Batstar revealed a new apprentice, an Oriolepaw, and there was a momentary pause as Caveclan and some cats who were feeling particularly generous shouted her name. Marigoldpaw spotted the tortoiseshell from earlier hunkering down in embarrassment. That was probably Oriolepaw.

Then Brightstar had to ruin what had been a tolerable, if unwanted experience.

"I have sad news," she mewed when it was her turn, projecting her mew clearly. "One of our apprentice was caught in an unfortunate accident and died. He was awarded his warrior name before he passed, and has joined Starclan as Hawthornpelt."

Shut up, Marigoldpaw thought. She wanted to sink down and put her paws over her ears.

But Brightstar wasn't finished. "Life goes on, however." She paused. "I'm pregnant." Marigoldpaw gasped with the rest of the Gathering. This was the first time they were hearing anything about it at all. "I will continue my duties until I no longer can, however," Brightstar finished. "That is all."

The Gathering began to break up. There would be a little while longer for visiting, and then everyone would head home. Marigoldpaw hoped it would happen fast. Through the roiling sea of moving cats, Marigoldpaw caught sight of the tortoiseshell apprentice, Oriolepaw. Their eyes met. Then a black and white cat moved in between them and Marigoldpaw lost sight of her.

Marigoldpaw fought down the prickle that ran down her fur, channeling her odd discomfort into moving out of the Palegrounds as much as she could.

She should have been in her nest already, but there was still plenty of moonlight left.


	12. Ten

It was difficult to hunt in the Whispering Hills. The sound of the wind through the cracks and crevices of the area created a whistling noise, drowning out any noise prey might make. Similarly, the wind blew around scents, especially in the crevices, and made it impossible to pick any specific trails out. One had to hunt entirely by sight there, and some simply weren’t very good at it.

Besides that, the layout of the area was just plain odd. The top was flat for the most part, different from the majority of the rest of Cliffclan territory. The even surface was broken by fissures and crevices cutting deep down, rarely more than a tail-length apart, separating the Hills into what Marigoldpaw expected looked very much like what the dry, cracked mud at the River looked like.

But, well, what the area looked like didn’t matter so much as how well one was able to traverse it. The depth of the crevices splitting the earth varied in depth, and it wasn’t always guaranteed that there was a way back up. All of the cracks connected, though, as far as Marigoldpaw knew; it was just a matter of walking until one spotted a way out and climbed back up.

None of that mattered now, however. Marigoldpaw wasn’t even here to hunt, not entirely. That was the excuse, the reason Squirrelwhisker had let her, but she had reasons of her own.

By itself, the sound of wind through the cliffs was nothing. Plenty of places in Cliffclan’s territory made the same noise. But in the Hills the noise was nearly constant, and the entire area made it, building up on itself and growing to a level that blocked out every other sound made.

Including, if one tried hard enough, one’s own thoughts.

Squirrelwhisker expected at least two pieces of prey when Marigoldpaw got back to camp, and she fully intended on doing that. Just… not immediately. Maybe not even soon.

Instead she hung her head over the side of one of the crevices, listening intently to the sound with her eyes squeezed shut. If she tried hard enough, if her mind was in just the right state, the whispers of the wind sounded like voices. Far away voices she couldn’t understand, but voices nonetheless.

It almost sounded like they were calling her. She could almost hear her name. Almost imagined it was Hawthornpelt, yelling to her from a great distance.

She worried she’d forget the sound of his voice. This helped. Maybe only a little, but it did help. Eventually she pushed herself back to her paws and slid down into the crevices to hunt, picking her way through rocks and the leftover bare branches of scrub bushes.

The whispering didn’t let up, but the voice aspect of it faded into the background now that she was no longer concentrating. She devoted herself to looking for prey, scanning every dip in the walls of the crevice, sneaking along slowly so she didn’t miss a thing.

There. A mouse, or a shrew-- No, it was a mouse, she saw that now, creeping closer. It didn’t see her. She sank down into a hunter’s crouch, moving forward slowly to make sure that her shadow wouldn’t fall on the mouse and startle it. She checked her stance, tensed her muscles, and leapt. Her claws sank into the mouse, cutting off its life and

_ Marigoldpaw _

She jerked, her paws going out from under herself. She landed hard on her side, shaking. “What?” she mewed, voice lost to the whispers. “What?” she repeated.

_ Marigoldpaw _ it repeated, further away. Again,  _ Marigoldpaw _ , just in the distance, fading fast, and then gone, gone, one last  _ Marigold _ sinking into the unknown.

She didn’t catch anything else. She took her mouse and went home, taking Squirrelwhisker’s disapproved stare and punishment of no dinner as her due. She wouldn’t have eaten anyway.

* * *

Oriolepaw dipped a paw into the water of the White River. A frog, startled in the depths, swam away from her and out of the water, hopping away. It croaked once.

“The river’s a bit low, but I think it’s good enough to teach you how to fish,” Fawntail was saying. “Better now than when it’s leaf-fall and the river is empty.” She sighed and flicked an ear.

Oriolepaw looked away from the river, her paw still agitating the water. It was easier that way; the stiller the water, the more she found herself unable to pull herself away. “So what do I do?” she asked.

“Well first of all, stop scaring the fish away,” Fawntail scolded. “Second, you need to be fast, and patient. Sit beside me, over here,” and Oriolepaw did, “Now, look at the water. See the fish? Stay very still. On this side our shadow is behind us, so it won’t fall on the fish. Now wait, and..” Fawntail trailed off, eyes trained on the river. The fish swam lazily, twisting its body. It slowly drifted closer to where Oriolepaw and her mentor sat.

Fawntail’s paw flashed out, scooping the fish out of the water and only the bank where she killed it quickly. “Like that,” she mewed, satisfied. “You wait until it’s close enough then pull it out. You have to be quick, though. Too slow or you hit it wrong and it’ll get away. Your turn.”

Oriolepaw didn’t want to do this. Just being near the water was making her uncomfortable, but she couldn’t tell that to Fawntail. So she sat and stared at the water, keeping her eyes moving, looking for a fish. One, smaller than the one Fawntail had caught, swam near. It’s mouth opened and closed like it was talking. It was a little funny. Closer.. She shot her paw out, trying to hook it under the fish. It flew out of the water, but the wrong way, not up on the bank but deeper into the water. It flashed away in a sparkle of scales. Oriolepaw sighed.

“Good first try,” Fawntail mewed. “Keep going.”

“Okay,” Oriolepaw sighed, looking back at the water. The splash of her escaping fish had startled the rest and they were slowly coming out of their hiding spots. She heard Fawntail move away, saw a fish skirt by on the bottom of the river, and then

The water rose. It surged downriver, sweeping debris and sand in its path, rolling waves slamming at the banks and crumbling them, catching Oriolepaw up in its depths and trapping her.

_ Oriolepaw _ , the river hissed.  _ Oriolepaw, Oriolepaw _ .

She saw leaves fall, grass grow brittle, time rushing forward as the water had. Prey grew scarce and then bountiful again, flowers spreading across the badlands. Cats died. Kits were born. She saw ceremonies and funerals and celebrations, arguments, affection, sorrow joy collapse death movement leaving leaving follow everything moving

follow follow follow

“What are you doing here?”

light

Something crashed into her, knocking her away from the river. “Hey!” a voice snapped. “Can’t you hear me? I said, what are you doing here?”

“What?” Oriolepaw croaked from where she lay. Her eyes were dry and she blunk them hard. She pushed herself to her paws, shaking. “Where am I?” she mewed, finally looking around. The terrain was unfamiliar. Her stare drifted to the cat who had shoved her.

It was Shrewpelt. His expression was annoyed, covering a hidden depth of something she couldn’t identify. “Don’t you know? You’re the one who came here. This is Brushclan.”

“I.. How did I get here?” Oriolepaw whispered, her ears laid back.

Shrewpelt’s expression melted into one of concern. “You’re Oriolepaw,” he mewed. “You’re from Caveclan.”

And you’re Shrewpelt, Oriolepaw thought. You and Darkgaze used to be mates. But she mewed, “I know who I am. How did I get here?”

“I don’t know. You were walking along the river, staring into it. But this is Brushclan territory, kit. You shouldn’t be here.”

“No, I.. I know that.” Confusion muddled her senses. “I should go back. I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.” She took a step back from the water, feeling herself shaking.

“Yes, you should,” Shrewpelt mewed. He waited expectantly.

Oriolepaw felt her stomach fall. “I don’t know where I am,” she admitted. If she had followed the river here she could follow it back, but.. The thought of looking at the water again terrified her. He sighed.

“Come on then. I’ll take you to the border,” Shrewpelt mewed. He waited until she was stable on her paws and following him before he set out, keeping the pace even.

She remembered the angry expression on his face at the Gathering, a quarter moon ago now, and, later, her mother’s sad, guilty expression as she detailed their past to her daughter. She wondered what he was thinking, but he said nothing to give it away.

“Thank you,” she mewed eventually, tired of the tense silence. For a moment he seemed to be considering her words.

Then he spoke, “No problem. I wouldn’t have let you leave without an escort anyway.. You’re obviously ill.”

Ill. Oriolepaw supposed she was. He stomach twisted. “Thank you anyway,” she mewed.

“Thank you, as well,” he said, surprising her. “For what you said. At the Gathering. About Hawkstripe.”

“Oh, I.. No problem.” She hadn’t meant to tell him. Hadn’t even wanted to. But the water.. “Did it help?” she asked anyway.

His tail flicked. He didn’t look back at her, but she got the feeling he was a little embarrassed. “I think so,” he said finally. “Or it will.”

“I’m glad,” Oriolepaw mewed, and was surprised to find she meant it. He didn’t ask how she’d known. She didn’t know if it was because the question didn’t occur to him, or if he just didn’t care.

Finally, ahead of them, the Brushclan terrain suddenly changed to Caveclan, the White River cutting through the territory and marking the border. Oriolepaw knew where she was, though she’d never seen that piece of territory from this side before. “Oh!” she gasped. Her pawsteps sped up, eager to get her back home.

“There it is,” Shrewpelt agreed. He kept up with her, though he stopped on Brushclan’s side of the White River.

“Oriolepaw!” she heard. It was Fawntail’s voice, rising distressed and loud over the trickling of the water.

“Fawntail!” Oriolepaw called back. There was a moment of silence and then footsteps, Fawntail coming into view a moment later.

“Oh, Thank Starclan. Where  _ were _ you? I looked away for a moment and you were gone.” Fawntail’s voice was anger mixed with relief. “How could you run off? And into Brushclan? You know you’re not allowed!”

“I don’t think she did it on purpose,” Shrewpelt mewed, and Fawntail seemed to see him for the first time. “I found her by the river, dazed. She didn’t even hear me at first she was so out of it.”

“Oh. Oh, I’m glad you found her. Thank you for getting her back here, safe.” Her anger melted away as she spoke, and then she yowled, “DARKGAZE! Over here!”

A voice drifted to them, tense, “Did you find her?” Beside Oriolepaw, Shrewpelt stiffened almost imperceptibly. Darkgaze’s gray form appeared, running to them. “Oh!” she breathed, panting but relieved. “My baby!” She splashed across the water, heedless of the boundary, to embrace Oriolepaw.

Oriolepaw forced herself not to step back from her mother, wrinkling her muzzle. Darkgaze looked up at Shrewpelt. “Did you find her? Thank you,” she mewed, genuine emotion and gratitude in her voice. “Shrewpelt, thank you.”

“Yes,” he mewed, surprised. “I couldn’t leave her there,” and he repeated what he’d said to Fawntail about finding Oriolepaw.

Darkgaze pushed Oriolepaw back across the river. “Thank you,” she repeated to Shrewpelt. Her voice shook a little. When Oriolepaw was halfway across, she followed.

“Darkgaze,” Shrewpelt called when they were all on their proper territories. She looked back at him. There was a pause, and then Shrewpelt mewed, “No hard feelings, okay?”

Darkgaze lit up visibly. “No hard feelings,” she agreed. They dipped their heads to each other and then they all turned away, heading away from the boundary.


	13. Eleven

Oriolepaw saw the water every night now. The gray cat warned her away time and time again, waking her when he could, but he couldn’t help when she was awake.

He tried, she knew. She saw him more often, a faint gray form standing beside her. She still didn’t know his name. She hadn’t asked. Somehow that wasn’t as important as just knowing he was there, trying to help, even if he couldn’t.

She asked him about the water every time she could, but he never had an answer. He had told her, after she had asked too many times, that the pond was located in Starclan. It was used to create prophecies, when necessary. But he didn’t know how, or why, she was able to visit it. He said he was trying to figure it out, asking around, but so far nothing had come up. She wondered if he was lying, and then decided it didn’t matter. Faux company was better than no company.

She almost wished she still woke up clueless, with the pond a hidden thought, but it was too late for that. It’d been too late the first time she saw the water when she was awake.

Fawntail was disappointed in her. Her mentor tried not to show it, kept trying to work with her, but.. She didn’t get angry. Oriolepaw was grateful for that. Fawntail knew she was making an effort.

Still, the murmur of Fawntail talking to Batstar and telling him she was failing didn’t feel very good. Oriolepaw heard  _ assessment _ from the whispers drifting from the corner and sighed.

The whispers fell silent and Fawntail made her way over to where Oriolepaw was waiting. “Go catch three pieces of prey and bring them back,” she mewed. Oriolepaw nodded, and Fawntail licked her head. “You can do it, Oriolepaw. I know you can.”

Oriolepaw hoped she was right.

* * *

“How much longer do you think she’ll need?” Marigoldpaw heard Darkpaw mutter to her sister. Lightpaw shushed her.

“Larkheart said as long as she needed, remember?”

“Yeah, but at this rate she’ll never be a warrior, like us,” Darkpaw mewed. Her voice was smug. Marigoldpaw wanted to claw the look on her face off, nevermind that she couldn’t even see it. Instead, she just dug her claws into her nest and waited for them to leave. But Darkpaw didn’t shut up. She mewed, “Do you think she’s even going to come to our ceremony?” in a voice dripping with self-righteous annoyance.

“Darkpaw,” Lightpaw mewed. Her tone was level, holding back a hint of anger. “I love you, but you need to Shut. Up.”

There was a pause, and then a tiny ”Sorry,” from Darkpaw.

Lightpaw sighed. Thank you, Marigoldpaw wanted to say. She didn’t. Lightpaw mewed, “Just.. go up top, okay? I’ll be there in a little bit.” Marigoldpaw heard pawsteps move away, and a moment later more towards her.

“Hey,” Lightpaw mewed. She sat down. Marigoldpaw looked up. Lightpaw looked a little nervous. “I know that all you want to do right now is lay there, but.. It would mean a lot to me if you came to the ceremony. Will you?”

Lightpaw was right. She did just want to lay in her nest and not move for the rest of the day. But.. “Okay,” she sighed. She pushed herself to her paws, immediately feeling like she wanted to lay back down, and followed the smiling Lightpaw out of the den and up to the plateau.

Darkpaw turned back around from where she was watching for them. Brightstar dipped her head at Lightpaw and glanced only a moment at Marigoldpaw from her perch.

“My dear Clan,” Brightstar mewed as Lightpaw took her place by Darkpaw. “It’s time to welcome two new warriors into our fold. They’ve worked hard to learn all our Clan has to teach them, and it’s time to give them their names.” She looked down at the two apprentices, and then turned her whole body. Past her, Marigoldpaw saw The Ascent, a steep, scalable rock a fair few tail-lengths from the camp.. “Ascend! Greet Starclan as warriors!” Brightstar mewed. Lightpaw and Darkpaw immediately ran down the slope of the camp, eating up the distance between them and The Ascent.

Darkpaw jumped immediately, landing on a tiny ledge that Marigoldpaw couldn’t make out from the distance. Lightpaw followed her up, and soon both sisters were making their way up the rock, demonstrating the abilities that only Cliffclan had.

Lightpaw reached the top first. She stood still for a moment to catch her breath and let Darkpaw join her, and then a caterwaul rang out. “For Hawthornpelt!”

Marigoldpaw’s breath hitched. A small murmur spread through the group of Cliffclan cats, but it didn’t sound disapproving.

Brightstar stretched up on her toes, projecting her voice so that Lightpaw and Darkpaw could hear her clearly. “Know your names!” she cried. “Darkstorm! Lightcloud!”

“Darkstorm! Lightcloud!” the assembled cats roared together. Marigoldpaw tried to be the loudest, especially on Lightcloud’s name, hoping her friend would hear her and know how grateful and glad she was for her.

The two new warriors scrambled down from the Ascent and bounded up the slope, back onto the plateau. “Who’s who?” Darkstorm joked to Russetfoot, her mother.

“Isn’t it obvious, Lightcloud?” her mother joked back.

Marigoldpaw turned away from that conversation, focusing in on the real Lightcloud, who was accepting a congratulations from her father, Grayface. But it wasn’t Marigoldpaw who got to her next. It was Poppyface.

“Thank you,” Poppyface mewed. Her voice was sad. “I think he really liked that.”

Lightcloud looked a little embarrassed. “It just.. Seemed like the right thing to do,” she mewed. She glanced at Marigoldpaw. The movement alerted Poppyface to her presence. For a moment they looked at each other and Marigoldpaw dared to hope that-

Poppyface looked away and dipped her head to Lightcloud before leaving. Marigoldpaw watched her go, her stomach dropping. Beside her, Lightcloud mewed something that she didn’t hear.

“Thank you,” she heard herself say. “But I’m going to go now.”

“Marigoldpaw?” Lightcloud mewed. She sounded far away and flat, though some part of Marigoldpaw knew her friend was worried. She took a step back, the feeling of the rock under her paws foreign and strange.

And then everything rushed back in at once and Marigoldpaw was running as fast as she could. She launched herself off of the slope that led out of the camp, hitting it without noticing the jarring pain in her paws and kept going, heedless of the shouts she could vaguely hear behind her.

She didn’t know where she was going, only that she didn’t want to stop. The wind rushing through Cliffclan’s territory drowned out every other noise and sometimes, sometimes she could almost hear, fleeting and faint and impossible,  _ Marigoldpaw, Marigoldpaw _ , driving through the wind, trying to reach her.

She didn’t slow down to let it catch up. She ran until she left smears of blood where her paws touched the ground, until she was dizzy and couldn’t breath anymore, but it was only when her paws went out from under her and she landed, hard, on her side that she stopped running.

She didn’t bother trying to get back up, just concentrated on gulping air back into her lungs until her heart’s pounding had lessened so she no longer felt it slamming in her chest.

When her breathing was even and her legs were shaking only slightly and she felt more in control of herself, she realized she had no idea where she was. Which direction had she run in from the camp? She couldn’t quite remember, and everything around her looked unfamiliar.

She stood up slowly, feeling the sting of pain in her paw pads. Good, she thought, bitterness tinging the words. That’s what I get. Slowly she began walking, not back the way she’d came but deeper into wherever she was. Maybe she’d ended up in the Outlands, the area beyond the Clan’s territories. It didn’t matter. Wherever she was, she didn’t want to go back. Not yet.

The area Marigoldpaw had found herself in was much flatter than that of Cliffclan’s territory. There was barely any rock formations taller than a few tail lengths, and they were few and far in between.

But the flatness of the land meant everything around her was visible, including something she could only just see in the distance. It looked like a smudge of black on the horizon but as she walked towards it, the shape gradually became clearer. It was a cat, she realized. They didn’t move as she walked towards it, and for a moment she feared they were dead.

But that wasn’t right. The cat was standing up, stock still. Even as Marigoldpaw moved closer they didn’t move. Up close it was easy to them breathing, and- Wait. She knew this cat. She’d seen her at the Gathering, the split-faced tortoiseshell halfblood from Caveclan. Was that where she was, then? Caveclan territory?

“Hello?” she mewed. She wished she could remember the cats name. “Um, are you alright?”

The cat didn’t move. Her eyes were closed and she swayed slightly, as if she’d been standing for too long. Marigoldpaw wondered if this was a trick. Was it? But something told her it wasn’t. Somehow she just knew. She lifted a paw and gently prodded the Caveclan cat. “Um.. Wake up?” she tried, not really expecting it to work.

She reeled back in surprise when it did work. The cat jerked away, eyes blinking rapidly. She fell back on her haunches, obviously distressed. “No,” she mewed, heartbreak in her tone. “Not again, I- Who are you? Where am I?” She looked around, a clear expression of confusion on her face.

“Um.. I’m Marigoldpaw,” mewed the cat in question, feeling just as confused. “I don’t know where we are. I think maybe Caveclan.”

“How do you not know?” the Caveclan cat asked, but she stood up on shaking paws and turned in a circle. “Yes, this is Caveclan.. But you’re not.” She didn’t sound accusatory, just tired.

“I.. I kind of.. Wandered here by accident, I guess,” Marigoldpaw mewed, feeling a little ashamed of her frenzied run through the territories. “Who are you? I’ve seen you at a Gathering before.”

“Oriolepaw,” the Caveclan cat mewed. “Marigoldpaw.. Thank you. I, um.. Thank you. I don’t know how you did that, but..” She looked troubled as she studied Marigoldpaw.

“You were just standing there.. Is something wrong?” Marigoldpaw asked. Oriolepaw looked so sad and tired.. She sympathized.

Oriolepaw laughed. It was a hollow sound, void of any true mirth. “Yes. I guess so. What would you say if I told you that I see the future?”

“I..I’d say, um,” Marigoldpaw mewed, uncertainly. The drained look Oriolepaw had prompted her to say, “I guess.. I’m sorry. That doesn’t sound like it’s very fun.”

“No. It isn’t,” Oriolepaw mewed. “I’d better get back. I haven’t caught anything and.. I’m supposed to. The border is over there, by the way. It looks like you ended up just past it.”

“Thank you,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “I hope you feel better soon.” Oriolepaw offered a small, tired smile at that. She waited until Marigoldpaw was safe back over the border and heading back before she, too, left.

And this time, as Marigoldpaw walked back to the camp, the wind whispered  _ Oriolepaw _ . It was more unnerving, somehow, than hearing her own name.  _ Oriolepaw _ . She picked up the pace, ignoring the way her paws throbbed, and tried not to listen.


	14. Twelve

Oriolepaw felt shaken up as she scoured Caveclan territory for prey. She couldn’t remember what had happened after she’d left the camp on Fawntail’s orders.. She only remembered the sudden drop into the pond.

It hadn’t ever happened while she was awake before. Not the pond itself-- Other water, yes, the river, the Turtle Steps pond, puddles, anything, but she hadn’t ever seen that deathly still pond anywhere except her dreams.

The gray cat had been there, she remembered. She still didn’t know his name, but she knew he was her friend. He’d tried so hard to wake her up, but nothing he did had helped.

What do you make of that, she thought to him. He walked by her, only just the barest bit visible, like a heat illusion in the distance but right next to her.

_ I don’t know _ , he told her, and he sounded exhausted. She couldn’t make out his expression, but she didn’t need to.

She thought of the Cliffclan cat, that Marigoldpaw. At the pond she had only been vaguely aware of her surroundings. If she thought hard she could recall the hazy face of Marigoldpaw, confusion written clearly on her.

_ Wake up _ , she’d said, and Oriolepaw had heard it like she heard her friend’s. And Oriolepaw had. She’d woken up, just like that.

I don’t understand, she thought. The gray cat beside her sighed. How can we stop this?

Again he said,  _ I don’t know _ , and Oriolepaw nodded. Without thinking she bounded over to a surprisingly lush brush and reached her paw under it, fishing out a shocked mouse. She killed it quickly and kept going.

She did that twice more, hunting without tracking. That was all that was needed, after all, and all she had seen. Fine, she thought. It’s fine. And she headed back home.

The gray cat left her at the entrance, whispering,  _ I’ll be around _ before fading. She was grateful he’d kept her company, even if she wished he was still around.

Fawntail was pleased with her catch, even if she did comment on how long it had taken her. Oriolepaw felt guilty and glad all at once for how proud Fawntail was of her. She sat with Oriolepaw and ate with her, affection coloring their conversation.

Darkgaze and Astertail came in eventually. Border patrol, since they weren’t carrying prey. Fawntail informed them that Oriolepaw had done “very well, really,” and Oriolepaw had to sit through her parents congratulating her and purring over how proud they were.

I don’t deserve this, Oriolepaw thought. I’m keeping secrets. And she thought about Marigoldpaw at the border, and the starry gray cat, and lies like “I’m fine.”

And then it was night time. Astertail and Darkgaze bid her goodnight and left together. Fawntail got up a moment later and stretched. “Dawn patrol in the morning,” she mewed between a yawn. “Get some rest,” and Oriolepaw had no choice but to follow her down the tunnel that housed both the apprentice’s and the warrior’s dens.

She had just gotten comfortable when Crowpaw and Honeypaw wandered in. They exchanged awkward, quiet glances, the same way they’d always been since before Oriolepaw had become an apprentice, and then they laid down on their side of the den.

Oriolepaw wondered if they’d ever be friends again. She missed them. She sighed and curled up tighter in her nest, telling herself, even as anxiety swarmed her stomach, that she’d feel better in the morning.

She drifted off as Honeypaw began to snore, sleep fogging her thoughts and embracing her, and for a moment she was content. And then

still water stretching reflecting nothing

She jerked awake, shaking. The pond again, immediately. That’s okay, she told herself. Just a fluke. You’ll be fine.

But it was there again, and then again, beckoning her into its depths, and then she gave up on sleeping. It’ll be fine, she told herself again. Everyone loses sleep sometimes. It’ll be just fine.

Oriolepaw was on her back, staring up at the cracked cave roof when Fawntail came to get her at dawn. “Up already?” she yawned as Oriolepaw got up. “Or- Did you sleep at all?” she mewed in the brighter tunnel. “Oriolepaw, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just.. The mouse I ate must have been bad,” she mewed evasively. “But everything is fine, Fawntail, I’m feeling better.”

“You should have gone to see Cactusleaf,” her mentor scolded. “You knew we were getting up at dawn.”

“I guess it just didn’t occur to me,” Oriolepaw mewed feebly. Fawntail scoffed.

“Well, it’s your own fault. You’re still going on the patrol.” Fawntail turned kept going into the antechamber, and out the exit, leaving Oriolepaw to mutter, “Yes, Fawntail,” to the ground.

It wasn’t as if dawn patrol was hard. It mostly just involved walking and that didn’t take much concentration, and the borders had been quiet so likelihood of a fight was small. Still, Fawntail occasionally glanced back at her from where she was following Shrikestorm and Brindlefur, a disapproving, slightly annoyed look on her face.

So much for being proud of me, Oriolepaw thought a little bitterly. This would probably be another thing Batstar would hear about. She wondered what their leader thought of her.

Nothing happened on the patrol, and they got back to the cave without incident. “Take a nap,” Fawntail tried to tell her, but Oriolepaw shook her head. “You really should,” her mentor said, sighing, but she didn’t try to force her.

She didn’t sleep that night either. She only had to see the pond once before she was wide awake, heart pounding. She lied to Fawntail when she asked how Oriolepaw had slept, saying well, but it only took until Oriolepaw stumbled out of exhaustion while hunting for her to be found out.

“What is  _ wrong?” _ Fawntail mewed. “Why won’t you tell me? Why won’t you sleep?” Guilt and shame collided in Oriolepaw’s stomach. She only hung her head, not knowing what to say. “Oriolepaw, please,” Fawntail mewed, hurt in her tone. “Please talk to me.”

She sighed and turned when Oriolepaw said nothing. “I wish you’d talk to me,” she whispered, but she didn’t press her apprentice anymore. “Go back to the camp, Oriolepaw. You’re in no condition to hunt. You’d only get in the way.”

Hurt spiked through Oriolepaw’s chest at the words, even though they were spoken with no malice. “Okay,” she mewed. Fawntail moved on without her, but it was a long time before Oriolepaw moved.

She sensed the gray tom next to her, but she didn’t say anything to him, and he said nothing in return. She didn’t know when he vanished again, she just looked up when she’d finally gotten tired of feeling sorry for herself and he was gone.

She crept back into camp, ignoring her clanmates who glanced at her, and headed into the apprentice’s den. She couldn’t stay in the antechamber for fear of the pond, so there really was nowhere else to go.

It must have been night time when Fawntail came to check on her. Oriolepaw had been laying in her nest, staring at the ceiling, when her mentor walked in. “Still haven’t slept?” she murmured. Oriolepaw shook her head. Fawntail sighed and stepped aside.

Irrational betrayal cut through Oriolepaw at the sight of Cactusleaf and her parents. “Fawntail,” she gasped, hurt, and Fawntail only looked at her.

“Hello, Oriolepaw,” Cactusleaf mewed. “Fawntail tells me that you haven’t slept for the past two days.”

“What’s wrong, little bird?” Astertail mewed. She and Darkgaze came to stand beside their daughter. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I-I just can’t,” was all Oriolepaw managed.

“You have to though,” Darkgaze mewed. “Please, baby, you can’t stay awake for so long. You’ll make yourself sick.”

Cactusleaf was the next inside, carrying a little leaf with her. She set it down and unfolded it to reveal a tiny, tiny speck that Oriolepaw recognized as a poppy seed.

Horror twisted her expression. “Please,” she begged. “Please don’t make me. Please.”

“Little bird, you have to,” Astertail mewed. She dipped her head to touch her nose to Oriolepaw’s, but she jerked away. Surprised, Astertail took a step back.

Oriolepaw’s head twisted to Darkgaze. Please, she thought, feeling like a kit again. Please. But Darkgaze only bent down to nudge the leaf with the poppy seed onto it closer to Oriolepaw’s nest.

There was no other choice, then. She was trapped. Breath coming in panicked bursts, Oriolepaw licked up the poppy seed.

“You’ll feel better when you wake up,” Cactusleaf promised. Oriolepaw only looked at her with hurt and fear in her eyes as she laid back down.

“I’ll come get you in the morning,” Fawntail mewed. Oriolepaw’s eyes slid shut, and the last thing she saw before she hit the water was her parents and mentor leaving the cave.

* * *

 

Darkgaze dreamt of her father for the first time in moons. He stood close enough that she knew it was him, but far enough away that his expression was blurred. No matter how fast she ran, trying to eat up the distance between them, he never got any closer.

She woke up feeling helpless, her heart pounding in her throat. “Darkgaze, Astertail,” hissed Fawntail’s voice from the tunnel. “Come here. Hurry. Hurry, please.”

The intensity of her voice prodded Darkgaze into moving. She woke Astertail up with a shake, and her mate yawned and sat up. Fawntail shuffled nervously. “Come on,” she urged. Her mew shook.

“What is it?” Astertail mewed through a yawn.

“I.. I couldn’t wake Oriolepaw,” Fawntail mewed. Darkgaze’s heart dropped. She stood up, moving as soon as she was able to. Behind her, she could vaguely sense Astertail doing the same. Fawntail had immediately turned and backed out of the den as soon as she saw her friends moving. She spoke in low, urgent tones. “I went to get her but she.. She wouldn’t wake up. I already went to get Cactusleaf-” and here she stopped. Their medicine cat was hurrying down the tunnel, expression grim. She slid by Fawntail and disappeared into the apprentice’s den. Darkgaze shoved her way to the front to be the first to follow Cactusleaf inside.

Cactusleaf was bent over Oriolepaw, closely examining her. Darkgaze’s daughter was sprawled in her nest, shaking. “Oriolepaw,” Cactusleaf mewed intently. Oriolepaw didn’t react.

Crowpaw and Honeypaw, huddled on the other side of the den, made small noises of worry. “What did you see?” Darkgaze demanded. They glanced at her.

Crowpaw mewed, “Nothing.. We checked on her but it just seemed like she was asleep.”

“Her eyes are open,” Cactusleaf said. Darkgaze moved around to the other side of the nest. Her daughter’s eyes were wide and unblinking, staring glazed at the ceiling. “Oriolepaw,” Cactusleaf mewed again. She prodded the apprentice sharply with her paw. Darkgaze sucked in a breath, but the prod had gotten a reaction; Oriolepaw let out a shuddering sigh.

“I can’t look away,” she whispered. Her voice sounded hoarse. Cactusleaf gently moved her head, but nothing happened. “Who’s there?” Oriolepaw mewed. Her breath came in short pants. “I.. I can’t see you. I can’t see anything but the water. Darkgaze? Darkgaze, are you there?”

“I’m here, baby,” Darkgaze mewed immediately, practically lunging across the small distance between her and her daughter.

Oriolepaw let out a soft moan. “He says you’re there,” she mewed. “I can’t hear anything. I didn’t want to sleep..” She stopped and for a moment the only sound she made was a long, pained noise. “It’s too much,” she mewed finally. “I can’t look away. It doesn’t make  _ sense _ .”

“What doesn’t? Oriolepaw? Oriolepaw, what do you see? Oriolepaw, wake up, baby,” Darkgaze mewed intently. She swallowed hard. Please don’t make me sleep, her daughter had said. The expression on her face last night had seemed so familiar, but--

“She’s seeing the future,” Darkgaze realized, heartbreak and horror coloring her voice. “That’s what’s happening. She saw it when she was a kit- Sedgestripe and Larchpelt- The coyotes.” Her voice hitched and she drooped her head, laying it over Oriolepaw. She’d been just a kit but she had known her friend’s fates. She’d known and she’d begged Darkgaze to believe her but she hadn’t. “I failed her twice.”

Astertail set a paw on Darkgaze’s back. “No,” she mewed. “You didn’t know.”

“She tried to tell me,” Darkgaze insisted.

“It’s not your fault,” Cactusleaf meowed. Her voice was flat. “I doubt she knew what was happening until recently.”

“Darkgaze,” Oriolepaw whispered. “Are you there? Please. He says you need to help me.”

“Who is he?” Darkgaze mewed, lifting her head. “Who are you talking about?”

“He- He says his name is Duskfang.” Darkgaze’s heart stuttered in her chest. “He says he knows you.” For a moment she stopped, whispering only, “please.” Then she sucked in a breath and said, “I don’t know what to do. I can’t.. It’s too much, Darkgaze, please-” Oriolepaw stopped again. Her head slowly inclined, like she was listening to someone. “I have to get to the Cliffclan border. Can you take me there?”

“Cliffclan?” Darkgaze echoed. She would have said more, but Oriolepaw’s voice broke into a wail.

“Marigold!” she mewed. “Marigold!” It sounded as if the word cost her, like she was ripping it from her throat. “Please, marigold--”

“Marigold wouldn’t do anything,” Cactusleaf whispered. “It’s for infections, it wouldn’t-”

Darkgaze didn’t listen. She and Astertail exchanged a look, and together they got on either side of Oriolepaw and pushed her up so she was standing. “Come on, little bird,” Astertail mewed. Her voice shook. It took a moment but then Oriolepaw was walking. Stumbling blindly, but walking nonetheless. Fawntail hurried ahead, clearing the way for them. Gratitude flooded Darkgaze, pushing back some of the worry that clouded her.

Oriolepaw had fallen silent. She seemed to be concentrating on walking and breathing. Her eyes were still open, wide and staring at nothing. Darkgaze didn’t know what was at the Cliffclan border, but she hoped that whatever it was would work.


	15. Thirteen

“You’re fine,” Larkheart mewed. Marigoldpaw lowered her paw. “Just take it easy on them. I’m not sure what you were thinking, running around like that, but there’s no lasting damage.”

Marigoldpaw sighed internally. For two days, at least, she’d had an excuse to not leave her den. She had it to herself, after all, now that Lightcloud and Darkstorm were warriors.

Squirrelwhisker barged their way into Marigoldpaw’s thoughts. “Then you can go on a border patrol,” she mewed. “Right, Larkheart?”

“That should be fine,” he agreed. “Just, as I said, take it easy for a couple more days.”

“Good. Come on, Marigoldpaw,” Squirrelwhisker mewed. “We don’t want to keep the others waiting.”

Marigoldpaw looked at Larkheart for help but he only stared back at her, expressionless. “It’ll be good for you,” he mewed. Marigoldpaw felt anger and frustration tug at her paws. There was no getting out of it, then. As she followed Squirrelwhisker out of the medicine den, she looked back at where the apprentice den was, longing pulling a sigh from her throat.

“You’ll be back in it before you know it,” Squirrelwhisker mewed briskly. The frustration Marigoldpaw felt only grew. Whatever sympathy or pity Squirrelwhisker had held for their apprentice now seemed long gone. A part of Marigoldpaw knew that life went on and she should be moving on too, doing her best and trying to make Hawthornpelt proud.. And the other part of her never wanted to do anything but lay in her nest ever again.

Grayface, Reedpelt, and Stormtail were the other warriors on the border patrol. They looked impatient to start the patrol, shuffling their paws and glancing out across the territory. Squirrelwhisker murmured an apology that the other three accepted with various gestures, and then they set off, climbing down the ridged slope that led off the plateau.

Marigoldpaw lagged behind, pretending it was because her paws were still sore. Her mentor glanced back at her every now and then, but Marigoldpaw didn’t deign to make eye contact. She heard Squirrelwhisker sigh once, a short, annoyed sound.

They’d been walking for awhile when Marigoldpaw noticed where they were. The Caveclan border? Something besides anger itched at her paws. This was the way she’d run two sunrises ago, when she’d met Oriolepaw.

Not that it mattered. It was just another part of the territory. Nothing special, even if it was a flatter area, and even if it was where Cliffclan met Caveclan.

“Keep up, Marigoldpaw,” Squirrelwhisker barked, and Marigoldpaw looked up to find she was lagging behind. She hissed under her breath and increased her speed a little to catch up. Squirrelwhisker’s eyes narrowed in an emotion she couldn’t identify.

Not that she cared. It didn’t matter. Squirrelwhisker could think whatever they wanted. Marigoldpaw lowered her head to set it against the wind, and kept walking.

The wind carried whispers to her, like it had been for some time now.  _ Marigoldpaw, _ it breathed, swirling around her. Though it blew towards her, she felt her paws tugged forward.  _ Marigoldpaw _ .

“There it is,” Grayface mewed, drowning out the wind’s voice, but it didn’t stay quiet for long.

_ Marigoldpaw _ , it insisted.  _ Marigold. _

Grayface made a noise of confusion and the group of warriors stopped.  _ Marigold.  _ Her paws shuffled. “What’s that, then?” Grayface mewed, and Marigoldpaw leaned to look around him. The wind hissed, louder,  _ Marigold _ .

_ Marigold _ .

“Marigoldpaw!”

And suddenly she knew it wasn’t the wind. Marigoldpaw started running, swerving around her clanmates towards what they were all looking at. Four Caveclan cats, just past the border. Three of them blended together, leaning against one another. “Marigoldpaw!” she heard again, the sound desperate, and behind her, more incredulous, “Marigoldpaw?”

She didn’t stop, even when Stormtail yowled for her to, even when she heard Squirrelwhisker behind her.

“Marigoldpaw!” Oriolepaw cried again, the sound trailing off in despair. Marigoldpaw leapt across the border, vaguely hearing outraged gasps behind her, and skidded to a stop in front of the Caveclan cats.

Two cats supported Oriolepaw in between them. A third stood to the side, anxiety written across her whole body. Marigoldpaw didn’t pay much attention to them, just stepped closer to her Caveclan friend-- was she a friend? Her heart pounded in her throat, and she felt sick at how scared Oriolepaw had sounded.

“Oriolepaw?” she mewed. Her friend lifted her head, and Marigoldpaw recognized the look in her eyes. She’d seen the same look only two days ago, but it hadn’t been as bad then. The blankness dulled her eyes but didn’t cover up how tense and frightened Oriolepaw was.

“Marigoldpaw,” Oriolepaw whispered. The fear in her voice made Marigoldpaw tense.

“Can you help her?” the gray molly at Oriolepaw’s side whispered. “She’s trapped and we can’t wake her up. You’re Marigoldpaw, aren’t you? Please.”

Marigoldpaw stared at her for a moment and then turned back to Oriolepaw. She swallowed heavily. What could she do? The only thing she’d done last time was say-- “Wake up,” she mewed, hoping. “Oriolepaw, wake up.”

For a moment everything was still and silent; even the murmuring of the border patrol behind her went quiet. The only sound was the ragged sound of Oriolepaw taking a breath. Her eyes blinked furiously, and she slowly sank down on her paws until she was laying in the dust.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Marigoldpaw, thank you,” she repeated, and Marigoldpaw couldn’t help but move forward again until she was covering Oriolepaw in an embrace. She felt her friend trembling under her, fierce tremors that shook them both.

“Thank you,” the cats accompanying Oriolepaw mewed one after another. Marigoldpaw flicked her tail in acknowledgement but didn’t move, not until Oriolepaw had stilled.

“You’re the only one who can do that,” Oriolepaw mewed. Her voice was flat and sounded far away. “You’re the only one I can hear when I’m in the water.”

“I’m glad I can help you,” Marigoldpaw mewed. It sounded lame even to her, but Oriolepaw cracked a smile anyway. When she shifted, Marigoldpaw pulled away, stepping back awkwardly. “Um, sorry for crossing the border,” she said, suddenly nervous. “I- Goodbye.” She paused for a moment to look at Oriolepaw. A silent agreement passed between them and they touched noses briefly.

Then Marigoldpaw was hurrying back across the border. Her pelt prickled from the stares she could feel, both from the Caveclan cats and from her own clanmates. She glanced back at Oriolepaw. Her friend hadn’t moved yet. She gazed at Marigoldpaw with tired eyes, hiding something Marigoldpaw couldn’t quite decipher.

“What was that about?” Squirrelwhisker mewed when she was back across the border. “What were you thinking?” Their mew slowly grew furious. “I will be telling Brightstar about this, Marigoldpaw. You should know better than that.”

“I don’t care,” Marigoldpaw mewed frankly. “She needed my help. You heard her. She called for me.” She blinked at Squirrelwhisker’s stunned face and flicked her tail. She took a moment to look at the faces of her other three clanmates, a varying range of disgruntlement and confusion, and then left, paws set towards the Cliffclan camp.

They didn’t follow her, though she could hear Squirrelwhisker’s furious growl. Let them be mad, Marigoldpaw thought, finding that she didn’t care at all, not even one measly little bit.

* * *

Oriolepaw only stood up when Marigoldpaw was out of sight. Her legs were surprisingly steady.

“Are you okay, little bird?” Astertail mewed carefully.

“Fine,” Oriolepaw mewed. “Thank you for helping me here. I’m sorry I worried you.”

“ _ I’m _ sorry,” Darkgaze mewed. Oriolepaw’s ears and then her whole head swiveled around, She was shocked to see the devastated look on her mother’s face. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. You tried to tell me and..” Oriolepaw butted her in the shoulder with the top of her head.

“I didn’t tell anyone,” she mewed. “I.. It seemed so impossible but..”

“We’re glad you’re okay, Oriolepaw,” Fawntail mewed. Her mentor looked tired, still with an edge of worry to her features. “But I do wish you would have talked to us about it.”

Sure, Oriolepaw thought. Guess what, Fawntail? I can see the future when I dream, and sometimes even outside of that. She sighed. “I’m sorry,” she mewed, deciding that was a safe answer. “It’s okay now,” she added.

“How do you know it won’t happen again?” Darkgaze asked. She pressed her pelt against Oriolepaw’s. On her other side, Astertail licked the top of her head.

“It won’t. I’ll be fine for a few days.” She knew that. Darkgaze nodded slowly.

“If you’re sure, baby,” she mewed. “Let’s get you back to camp, okay? You need real sleep.”

Oriolepaw couldn’t disagree with that. She felt dead on her paws. The sleep hadn’t been real sleep, after all. Her mothers moved to support her on either side again, but Oriolepaw shook her head and they relented. They let her set the pace back to camp, and she kept them at a nice speed, just fast enough.

She had to get plenty of rest, after all. She had to return back here tomorrow.


	16. Fourteen

"And she just walked away, Brightstar," Squirrelwhisker was saying inside Brightstar's den. Marigoldpaw sat just outside of it, where Squirrelwhisker had told her to. "She told me she didn't care and she left."

"Did she say where she'd met the Caveclan cats from?" Brightstar mewed. Her tone was simply inquisitive, not annoyed or anything.

"We didn't get the chance to ask," Squirrelwhisker sighed.

"I'll ask her later," Brightstar assured them. "Is there anything else?"

Squirrelwhisker's voice hushed, but Marigoldpaw heard them anyway. "Brightstar, I don't know what to do. I gave her as much time to grieve as I could, but at this rate she won't be ready for her warrior name for moons." Marigoldpaw's tail lashed. "She doesn't listen to me anymore, and.. I think she may hate me." The sorrow in Squirrelwhisker's voice made Marigoldpaw scoff.

"I'm sure she doesn't," Brightstar mewed gently. "Everyone grieves at their own rates, and Marigoldpaw didn't just.." She stopped talking for a moment, then continued, "Perhaps you should talk to Poppyface. Maybe Marigoldpaw's mother can make her see reason. For now, I'll give Marigoldpaw her punishment."

"Thank you, Brightstar. I'll think of what to say to Poppyface tonight. And.. Well, I know she hasn't been the easiest to get along with lately, but I am fond of Marigoldpaw," Squirrelwhisker mewed. Marigoldpaw's claws dug into the stone under her paws. "I hope she comes around soon."

"So do I," Brightstar agreed. "I'll talk to her now, Squirrelwhisker. Thank you for bringing this to my attention." Marigoldpaw heard the shuffling of paws and Squirrelwhisker exited the den. They looked sadly at Marigoldpaw, who only glared back. With another sigh, Squirrelwhisker padded away. Brightstar walked out of the den a moment later, sitting down just outside of it.

"Hello, Marigoldpaw," she mewed evenly.

"Hello," was Marigoldpaw's curt reply.

"Will you tell me what the fuss at the border was about?" Brightstar inquired.

Irritation stirred in Marigoldpaw's throat and coated her mew. "I met Oriolepaw a couple of days ago, after.. After my run. I'd wandered into Caveclan territory. We talked for a little bit, she showed me the way back, and I left. That's all."

"Crossing the boundaries is a serious crime unless going to the Vale or the Moonclaw," Brightstar pointed out. "And you've done it twice in only a few days. In front of a border patrol, nonetheless."

"She needed my help. She called for me specifically. I was invited, and so I didn't break the rules." That time, anyway, she added to herself. Besides, I bet you broke the rules all the time as an apprentice, she thought bitterly.

"Squirrelwhisker says there were three other cats with your Oriolepaw," Brightstar mewed. "What could you do that they couldn't?"

What does it matter? Marigoldpaw wondered. The irritation she felt stirred and ignited into frustration. Sarcastically, she mewed, "She sees the future and got stuck. I'm the only one who can wake her up."

Brightstar sighed. "Marigoldpaw," she mewed warningly, "You are being very disrespectful. But I can see I won't get anything else from you today. Your job is to clean every den-- yes, _every_ den-- alone. You'll also go to bed hungry."

She didn't want to eat anyway. "Fine," she mewed, tone only a degree from spitting. "Can I go?"

Brightstar inclined her head and Marigoldpaw got up, tail lashing, to stalk away. She passed Lightcloud, who opened her mouth to say something, but Marigoldpaw blew past her too quickly for her to get any words out. I don't care, she thought furiously. Whatever you have to say, I don't care.

She took the warrior's den first, heedless of the couple of cats napping in there. She tore apart nests recklessly, shoving the moss and grass outside onto the ledge without caring. The cats sleeping in the den could change their own moss. She didn't care. She _didn't_.

She let the moss fall off the ledge to land at the base of the cliff and went down herself, taking a more precarious route to the bottom than the slope. A cache of moss was nearby, and she ripped up pawfuls. Most of it shredded into pieces too small to properly bundle up and Marigoldpaw had to take a moment to calm down.

She shoved furious energy she felt into pacing, trying to tired herself out so she could get cleaning the dens over with. When pacing did nothing, she tried ripping up long stalks of browning grass.

“Are you okay?” Lightcloud mewed behind here.

“Here to kitsit me?” Marigoldpaw sneered, not bothering to turn around.

“Squirrelwhisker did ask me to watch you, but that’s more for safety than anything,” Lightcloud said. She sounded hurt.

Marigoldpaw muttered a “whatever,” under her breath. To her credit, Lightcloud didn’t bother trying to make conversation. Marigoldpaw’s anger turned into embarrassment at having an audience, even if it was only one cat. Though frustration still grasped her, she pushed it down and concentrated on collecting bedding.

When she turned around, Lightcloud was brushing moss and the grass Marigoldpaw had ripped up into piles. “You shouldn’t be helping me,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “Brightstar said I had to do this alone.”

Lightcloud shrugged. “I won’t tell if you don’t,” she said, not looking at her friend.

Marigoldpaw huffed through her nose and didn’t fight the issue. She focused on collecting more bedding, and when there was enough for now, she and Lightcloud carried it up to the plateau together, taking several trips. Lightcloud didn’t help her any more with the actual cleaning, just gave her a long look and left. Marigoldpaw let her leave with a mumbled “thank you.”

She finished the warrior’s den, pushing the last of the moss out. The sleeping warriors had, by then, woken up and left, leaving Marigoldpaw in relative peace. She threw in moss at random, barely bothering to claw it loose first, and then strewed grass in, making sure to spread it as evenly as she could. Given that she didn’t really care, it was a remarkable effort. Her attention, however, had less to do with a sense of duty, and more that she didn’t want to be forced to do it all over again.

She left the warriors den, telling herself that they were grown cats who could make their nests up themselves, and moved onto the nursery. Dawnheart and his Carpkit occupied the den still, though Carpkit was getting bigger and bigger each day. But they weren’t alone in the den anymore; Palegaze had moved in, and it was only a matter of time before Brightstar joined them as well.

They looked up as Marigoldpaw entered the den. There was a tense moment and Marigoldpaw remembered that queens really _didn’t_ like to be disturbed by any outsiders. “Fresh moss,” she muttered instead of walking in deeper.

Dawnheart nodded at her. “We’ll take care of the rest, thank you,” he mewed. Marigoldpaw took a moment to drop several bundles of moss and grass into the entrance of the den and then left.

Next was the elder’s den. Hailnose, Sorrelflower, and Herontail tried to make conversation with her, but eventually stopped when the only response Marigoldpaw gave was short, one-word answers, if she responded at all.

She didn’t have enough bedding for the elder’s den. “I’ll be back,” she muttered as she backed out of the den. Hailnose murmured a farewell that Marigoldpaw only barely caught. She took the short route down the plateau again, and this time no other cat joined her.

She was carting more moss up to the medicine den, setting the bundles down outside before going in, when Larkheart stopped her. “Marigoldpaw,” he murmured. His eyes were trained on her paws. “Didn’t I say to take it easy?”

She’d been leaving smears of blood again, the cracked wounds on her paw pads having reopened. She hadn’t even noticed. They did sting a little, now that she thought about it. She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter,” she mewed. “I need to clean your den.”

“You need to rest,” he mewed gently. “Come in so I can treat you. You can finish cleaning the dens tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ll tell Brighstar and Squirrelwhisker.”

“It’s fine,” she insisted.

“Didn’t your mother teach you not to question your medicine cat?” Larkheart mewed. Irritation twisted in Marigoldpaw’s stomach again, but she followed him inside his den anyway.

“Hi, Marigoldpaw,” Briarpaw mewed from inside the den. “Cracked paws again?” They’d been a medicine cat for ages but hadn’t gotten their name; Marigoldpaw had heard it was because they didn’t want it yet.

Larkheart nodded at the herbs his apprentice had brought out. “Very good, of course,” he mewed, and together they chewed the leaves to apply to Marigoldpaw’s pads.

The entire process felt like a waste of time. Marigoldpaw just wanted to get cleaning the dens over with. She didn’t want to have to keep working tomorrow.

The medicine cats made up a nest for her out of the moss she’d brought for them and stored the rest of the material in a corner of the crevice that made up the den. “Don’t move,” Larkheart reminded her. Marigoldpaw sneered at his back but listened. She’d rather be laying down anyway.

Briarpaw and their mentor bustled around the den sometimes, but mostly they just sat and reviewed herbs. It seemed unneeded; Briarpaw got them right every time. And anyway, Marigoldpaw couldn’t sleep with them yattering.

Eventually they quieted and the only sounds Marigoldpaw heard was the quiet shuffling of Briarpaw and Larkheart messing with herbs. Exhaustion settled over Marigoldpaw in place of anger and resentment, mixing with the gentle swishing sounds in the den to lull Marigoldpaw to sleep.

* * *

As the sun rose over the badlands, Oriolepaw awoke. She sighed soundlessly and locked eyes with Duskfang, her faint friend. He looked away a moment later, and Oriolepaw took the time to slip out from between her mothers. They’d slept with her in the apprentice den that night, just to keep an eye on her. Oriolepaw appreciated the gesture, but it made sneaking out a little harder than it should have been. I’ll be back soon, she thought at them. In her absence they snuggled closer to one another. Oriolepaw looked at them for a moment longer and then followed Duskfang out of the den and down the tunnel.

Her vision hadn’t told her how soon she needed to be at the Cliffclan border, but it was better to arrive early than late. She didn’t mind waiting, after all.

* * *

 When Marigoldpaw woke up, she knew immediately that she’d slept too long. Her body felt sore from laying in the same position the whole night. As she sat up, the dried herb mixture coated on her paws flaked off. They didn’t feel much different, but they hadn’t even hurt in the first place.

Larkheart and Briarpaw were still dozing in the back of the den. Marigoldpaw got up quietly so she didn’t wake them, and picked up as much of the moss as she could carry. She’d do Brightstar’s den first thing. The leader should be awake by now, and by the time she was done, Larkheart and his apprentice might be awake.

Her goal in mind, Marigoldpaw headed out of the den and up to the plateau. Brightstar was just walking out of her den, yawning widely. She flicked her ears at Marigoldpaw as she came up, and nodded to give her permission to enter her den.

Marigoldpaw walked in and pushed the old bedding out of the way before starting on the new nest. She had to exit once to go get some grass, but as it was only one nest the entire process didn’t take too long.

She was pushing the stale bedding off of the side of the cliff when she heard Squirrelwhisker’s voice. “..don’t know what’s gotten into her,” her mentor was saying. “She won’t listen to me. Do you think you could talk to her?”

Marigoldpaw crept closer to the source of the sound. Her heart was suddenly pounding in her chest. She peeked over the edge to see Poppyface and Squirrelwhisker standing on the ledge of the warrior’s den.

“I don’t know what you expect me to do about it,” Poppyface mewed. She seemed disinterested in the conversation.

Squirrelwhisker looked a little taken aback. “She’s a good kit,” they mewed, words uneasy. “Maybe you could just.. Tell her she should be working harder.”

Poppyface’s ear flicked. “You think that would really work?” she mewed. Marigoldpaw’s breath left her chest at her mother’s tone.

“Well I-” Squirrelwhisker started. They were cut off as Marigoldpaw landed next to them, having launched herself off the plateau. The impact jarred the bones in her legs but she didn’t care.

“ _Why do you hate me?"_  she shrieked at her mother. “ _What did I do_?”

Poppyface blinked at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her voice was flat.

“You do! You know exactly what I’m talking about!” The utter passivity of her mother’s body language infuriated her. “You never talk to me anymore! You never look at me! What did I do to make you stop loving me?” Poppyface simply shrugged and Marigoldpaw physically jerked in fury. “What did I do, Poppyface? Tell me! Tell me right now! Why do you hate me?! Ever since-- Ever since Hawthornpelt died--”

Poppyface’s ears pinned back. “He shouldn’t have died,” she hissed, so low that Marigoldpaw barely heard it.

“Of course he shouldn’t have! You think I want him dead? You think I’m not as sad about it? But you still have me, Poppyface! You still have one kit! Why won’t you act like it!” Marigoldpaw’s voice had risen so she was screaming, and she sensed, distantly, the stares of nearly the entire Clan.

“I would rather him,” Poppyface mewed. Her voice had returned to that flat quality that had filled Marigoldpaw with anger, but the words this time shoved every ounce of rage out of her.

“You don't mean that," Marigoldpaw whispered. She repeated, "You don't mean that," waiting for Poppyface to take it back, to say she was sorry, that she hadn’t meant it, but her mother simply looked at her.

Marigoldpaw heard Squirrelwhisker's sharp intake of breath beside her. She heard the buzzing murmur from the warrior’s den. She heard Brightstar say her name. She heard. She heard

She heard the wind whisper, _Marigoldpaw_ , more clear than any of the rest. She heard it again, heartbreaking in the clarity and the tone, _Marigoldpaw_. The anger rushed back in, searing in its intensity, swamping her, moving her to action. Marigoldpaw’s claws lashed out. She hit Poppyface directly on the side of her muzzle, scoring deep cuts into her flesh. For the first time in a moon Marigoldpaw saw her mother with an expression other than indifference.

With blood on her claws, Marigoldpaw turned and leapt off the ledge, heedless of the shouts and calls behind her. She hit the ground running. For the second time in less than a quarter moon, Marigoldpaw ran from her problems.

 _Oriolepaw,_ the wind told her, urgent. _Oriolepaw._

This time she listened.


	17. Fifteen

Marigoldpaw tore across Cliffclan territory, taking the shortest route she could. The wind urged her on, hissing her name and Oriolepaw’s alternatively, shoving at her back to make her faster. Keep going, it told her, even as her steps floundered and stumbled. We’ll get you there, come on, the wind insisted. Marigoldpaw didn’t know if she believed it but she didn’t stop. She didn’t stop for anything. Not until she reached the border.

And there she was. She stood just the same as Marigoldpaw had seen her both other times, but this time her eyes were bright and alert. She leaned forward as Marigoldpaw got closer, and Marigoldpaw could swear that for just a moment she had seen the faint shape of a cat standing beside her.

_ Oriolepaw _ , the wind sighed one last time, dying off. She didn’t need its help anymore anyway; she staggered the last few steps to her friend and collapsed, relief sapping the last of her exhausted energy out of her bones.

“You’re here,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “You knew.”

“I am,” Oriolepaw agreed. She sat down by Marigoldpaw, close enough that their fur touched. “I knew you would be here. I knew you would need me.”

Marigoldpaw let herself sink into despair. Oriolepaw sat with her, not even shifting in discomfort. She let Marigoldpaw push her face against her chest, and even, after a moment, began to wash her ears, purring just the slightest bit.

Marigoldpaw sat back up eventually, head still bowed. Even then Oriolepaw didn’t move away. She let her friend set the distance and boundary, and Marigoldpaw was content to stay as close as she could. Oriolepaw mewed, “Your paws are bleeding,” and Marigoldpaw lashed her tail, just once.

“I don’t care,” she mewed with less venom than she would have liked but more than she really felt. Oriolepaw nudged her, just once, with her shoulder. Marigoldpaw stiffened at the familiar gesture. Oriolepaw paused, obviously confused. Marigoldpaw sighed.

“What happened?” Oriolepaw mewed eventually.

“Don’t you know?” Surely she’d seen the whole thing.

But Oriolepaw shook her head. “I only saw that you and I would be here.”

“Sounds unreliable,” Marigoldpaw muttered.

Oriolepaw’s ears twitched. “Yes. There’s a lot of problems wrong with it. But I think it’ll get easier with time. But, really, do you want to talk about it?”

Marigoldpaw considered that. She shuffled her paws and considered some more. And then she decided that she trusted Oriolepaw. She trusted her wholeheartedly, even though others in her Clan would say she shouldn’t.

And so she told Oriolepaw everything. How her brother had died; how she still felt like it was her fault. How her mother had begun ignoring her and how angry it had made her, slowly at first and then building up until.. until she had attacked her. “I don’t regret it,” she mewed to Oriolepaw and to herself. “She deserved it.”

“That and more,” Oriolepaw agreed. Marigoldpaw sighed and shifted closer to Oriolepaw. Her friend set her chin atop her head and left it there.

“What am I going to do now,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “I don’t want to go back. I can’t go back.” She thought of having to climb back over hills and cliffs to get back to camp, of having to scale that, and anxiety rose in her throat.

“Then don’t,” Oriolepaw said. Marigoldpaw stiffened and made a small questioning nose. “Don’t go back,” Oriolepaw mewed. “Stay with me. In Caveclan.”

“Could I do that?” Marigoldpaw wondered hopelessly. “Would they let me?” She pulled back from Oriolepaw, enough to look her in the eye. “Why would you want me to?”

“Because I need you,” Oriolepaw mewed. Her tone was frank and honest.

Needed her. Had anyone ever needed her before? Poppyface hadn’t. Had Hawthornpelt? She’d needed him, certainly, but Marigoldpaw couldn’t remember anyone ever saying they needed her. Oriolepaw needed her. Maybe she needed Oriolepaw too.

“Okay,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “Okay, yes,” and she was surprised at how Oriolepaw’s eyes lit up, how her face scrunched into a smile. Marigoldpaw’s heart stuttered in her chest.

“Batstar is very kind,” Oriolepaw mewed. “He let my parents into the Clan. They’re from Brushclan and Shaleclan. I was born in Caveclan, but they weren’t. He let them in seasons ago. I think he would do the same for you.”

“Do you really think so?” Marigoldpaw mewed. “Did you see it?”

“I don’t have to see it,” Oriolepaw said. “I know it anyway,” and Marigoldpaw’s heart fluttered again. “Are your paws okay?” Oriolepaw asked.

Marigoldpaw shrugged. “They don’t hurt,” she mewed. She stood up to prove it. Oriolepaw looked doubtful.

“Cactusleaf will help you,” she mewed. “She’s very skilled.” She sighed when Marigoldpaw shrugged again. “I don’t want you to be hurt,” Oriolepaw said, and finally Marigoldpaw acquiesced. She followed Oriolepaw deeper into Caveclan territory, feeling weird even though she was with an escort. Would this place ever feel like home, she wondered? Cliffclan didn’t anymore. She supposed it wouldn’t make much difference.

Oriolepaw walked confidently. She knew this area, it seemed. Of course she would. She knew this terrain like Marigoldpaw knew the cliffs and ridges in her own birth clan.

Oriolepaw spoke up. “I’ll show you everything soon,” she mewed, like she’d read Marigoldpaw’s mind. “It won’t be so strange then.”

“Thank you,” Marigoldpaw said from beside Oriolepaw. She felt her friend’s tail brush against her flank in response.

Their path lead them to the river. Oriolepaw looked nervous, but only a little. She mewed, “I have to look,” in an apologetic tone. For a moment Marigoldpaw was confused; then she realized that water must be connected to Oriolepaw’s visions.

“Are you sure that’s safe?” Marigoldpaw mewed in concern.

“With you here?” Oriolepaw said, stepping forwards until she was staring into a small inlet where the water was relatively still. “There’s no doubt in my mind.” She fell silent and so did Marigoldpaw, though her ears felt hot. There was long, passing moments, and then Oriolepaw let out a long, fluttering sigh and took a step back. “Okay,” she mewed. “That’s alright, then.”

“Nothing too bad, I hope,” Marigoldpaw mewed. Oriolepaw smiled at her.

“No, nothing too bad,” she assured her, and then they were walking again. Caveclan territory was much easier to travel over, something Marigoldpaw was grateful for, as she found the longer they walked the more her paws began to ache. Grit and small stones lodged in the wounds on her feet, and they had to stop a few times so Marigoldpaw could wash them off in the river.

Eventually their path veered from the river; Oriolepaw had seemed to know that Marigoldpaw would need the water, because she felt the way they'd taken was more roundabout than it should have been.

Oriolepaw was lost in thought for much of the journey after her look in the water. Occasionally she'd glance at Marigoldpaw, as if reaffirming she was still there.

And then, finally, they reached the entrance to the Caveclan camp. It was a wide, yawning hole sloping down into darkness. Marigoldpaw balked momentarily, but Oriolepaw seemed unbothered. She simply waited for Marigoldpaw to build her courage up, and then they continued on.

“Oriolepaw?” The blue-grey tabby sitting at the top of the hole mewed. She must be the sentry, Marigoldpaw figured. “What’s.. Who is this?”

“Hello, Falconstripe,” Oriolepaw mewed. “Did you tell my parents and Fawntail that I would be back soon?”

“Well yes, but..” Falconstripe eyed Marigoldpaw. “You do know you have a cat with you, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Oriolepaw mewed. “It’s fine. Her name is Marigoldpaw. We’re going to go see Batstar.”

Falconstripe muttered something that sounded like “I’m just the lookout,” and shook her head. “Okay then,” she mewed so they could hear. “You missed Crowfur and Honeypelt’s warrior ceremonies, by the way.”

“I figured I would,” Oriolepaw said. Marigoldpaw shot her a concerned look as they entered the tunnel. “You may want to come inside soon though, Falconstripe,” Oriolepaw called over her shoulder. The sentry made made a noncommittal noise.

Inside the tunnel, Marigoldpaw asked, “You missed your friend’s ceremonies?”

“You were more important,” Oriolepaw mewed. Her was voice was so casual as she said that, like she didn’t think it was a big deal. It was simply just a fact.

Marigoldpaw was glad it was dim in the tunnel. It helped hide the smile on her face.

Going underground was an odd sensation. It almost felt too close, too stifling. The caves were cool, and it was still possible to see, just.. Everything was a little bit more muddled. There were small holes dotting the roof in places, long shafts to the surface that let in a little sunlight so that it wasn’t pitch black. The deeper they went, Marigoldpaw almost felt..

“Oriolepaw!” a voice up ahead called. “Oriolepaw, there you are!”

“Little bird, you shouldn’t have left without telling us!” another one said. It took Marigoldpaw a moment to see them through the gloom, but then the forms of two of the cats from the border yesterday appeared.

“I told Falconstripe to tell you,” Oriolepaw mewed.

“She did, but.. We were worried about you,” the gray cat said. “You can’t just keep disappearing like that.”

“I’m sorry, Darkgaze,” Oriolepaw mewed. “It was important.”

“What was?” the pale cat mewed, a moment before she caught sight of Marigoldpaw behind Oriolepaw. “Is that- Marigoldpaw?”

“Marigoldpaw?” Darkgaze mewed, and Marigoldpaw was surprised at the tone of her voice. She sounded genuinely pleased to see her.

“Hello,” she mewed, ducking her head.

“Hello,” Darkgaze mewed, real warmth in her tone. The other cat echoed her, and then Darkgaze continued, “What brings you here?”

“I..” Marigoldpaw stopped, confused as to how to explain it. She stammered for a moment, feeling foolish, and Oriolepaw stepped in to save her.

“I invited her,” she said. “Would you and Astertail come with us while we talk to Batstar?”

“Of course we would,” the pale cat, Astertail, mewed. “He’s in the Rubble Hill Outlook tunnel, I believe.”

“Then let’s go. Still going okay, Marigoldpaw?” Oriolepaw mewed, casting a concerned look at her friend.

“Fine,” Marigoldpaw mewed. It came out as a garbled squeak and she had to clear her throat. “Fine,” she repeated. “Rubble Hill Outlook. Let’s go.”

“It’s a collapsed tunnel,” Oriolepaw explained as they walked through a giant cavern. There’s a pond in the middle of it, with rocks like stepping stones. Oriolepaw seemed to have no trouble ignoring the stares of the cats in the chamber as they walked by. “But, it wasn’t because of structural integrity or anything,” she continued. “There’s a story about it I’ll tell you someday. Now the tunnel’s just kind of nice to look out of. I played there a lot when I was a kit.”

“Sounds nice,” Marigoldpaw murmured. She wondered what it had been like to grow up in the cavern system, being able to see perfectly well in the dark, knowing all the tunnels like you’d know your own paws.

The Rubble Hill Outlook tunnel is bathed in a slanting shaft of light. It illuminated the curled up form of a brown cat, and for a moment Marigoldpaw thought he was asleep, but he sat up as they draw near and didn’t even yawn.

“Hello, Batstar,” Oriolepaw mewed. Astertail and Darkgaze hung back to let her talk.

“Hello,” he said back. “What’s all this, then?” His eyes narrowed at her and he briefly looked confused. “Ah, that’s.. Not a Caveclan cat.”

“This is Marigoldpaw,” Oriolepaw explained. “She’s from Cliffclan.”

Was, Marigoldpaw wanted to put in, though she said nothing.

“Ah, Marigoldpaw. Yes, I remember you telling me about her. Did something happen?” Concern crossed over Batstar’s face.

“What I said to you and Cactusleaf, about my visions, wasn’t a lie,” Oriolepaw mewed.

“I know,” he said. “I never thought for a moment it was.”

Some of the tension Marigoldpaw hadn’t even known Oriolepaw was carrying drained out of her. “Oh, well. Good.” She paused for a moment, and then continued, “Batstar, I’d like for Marigoldpaw to join Caveclan.”

“And does Marigoldpaw want to join Caveclan?” Batstar asked, looking at Marigoldpaw.

Oriolepaw let her answer. For a long heartbeat Marigoldpaw didn’t know what to say. “Yes,” she started, but she knew that wasn’t a good enough answer. “I can’t stay in Cliffclan anymore,” she finally said, choosing the words carefully. The next ones came easier. “I want to be where Oriolepaw is.”

Don’t make me go back to Cliffclan, she thought to herself. Please don’t.

Batstar took a moment to consider. “I don’t see the harm,” he finally said. “Though I’m sure the Clan will want to know why.”

“No voting?” Astertail put in.

“She hasn’t broken the code,” Batstar mewed. “And she’s only an apprentice, besides. But Oriolepaw, it will be you who tells them. If your powers are here to stay, then you will be invaluable to your Clan-- Perhaps, eventually, to  _ every _ Clan. But that has to start somewhere, and I can’t think of any situation better than now.”

“Okay, Batstar,” Oriolepaw mewed. She glanced at Marigoldpaw, who gazed back steadily. You can do it, she thought. Oriolepaw gave an almost imperceptible nod, and started back down the tunnel.

* * *

Nervous didn’t even begin to cover it. Oriolepaw had known this was going to happen, had seen it, but that didn’t calm the butterflies flickering in her stomach. Having Marigoldpaw there, right beside her, grounded her as always, and the faint form of Duskfang accompanied her as he usually did. Still, the walk back to the antechamber seemed to take a long time.

Batstar called the Clan to attention. His voice projected through the tunnels, echoing off the stone walls, bringing cats up from their dens. Oriolepaw even saw the curious faces of kits in the crowd.

“Thank you for joining us,” Batstar called over the mews of cats asking what was going on. “It isn’t me who will be addressing you today, however. Oriolepaw has something she needs to say.”

She heard murmurs of her name, and even a few cats asking about Marigoldpaw, but she didn’t bother paying attention. Batstar flicked his tail at the ledge he usually addressed the Clan from, and Oriolepaw scaled it.

For a moment she stood there, anxiety crawling in her pelt. Marigoldpaw looked up at her from the very bottom of the ledge, surrounded by Darkgaze and Astertail. Oriolepaw drew in a breath and started speaking.

“Caveclan, I come to you with a confession,” she started, though it may have been the wrong thing to say. Tension built in the crowd. “It is not anything you think, believe me. The truth is.. I am able to see the future. It’s as open to me as it is to Starclan.” Loud muttering erupted through the gathered cats, most of them disbelieving. Oriolepaw spoke over them. “I’ve had this ability since I was a kit, and it has only gotten worse. I cannot always control these visions. More often than not, really.” It felt odd to admit her weakness, knowing the terror and fear it caused her. Warriors were meant to be brave.

“What is this, Batstar?” a furious voice broke out. It belonged to Stonewhisker. “Is this a joke?”

“Shut up!” another voice said, and Oriolepaw recognized Crowpaw-- Crowfur, as she was now. “Listen to her. She’s not lying.”

“And how do  _ you _ know?” Stonewhisker growled.

“She saved our lives!” Honeypelt burst out. “Don’t you remember when Sedgestripe and Larchpelt were attacked by those coyotes?”

Crowfur took over. “Oriolepaw stopped us from going with them. If we had, we’d be crowfood.”

“It’s true!” Sedgestripe spoke up.

“Coincidences!” Stonewhisker hissed. “I don’t believe this-” and here he stopped. Oriolepaw kept going from where she’d joined in with him. “For a moment. It’s ridiculous.”

“Is that what you were going to say?” she continued calmly. He only looked up at her, shocked.

Cypresspelt spoke up this time. “Surely there’s a-”

“Rational explanation for everything,” Oriolepaw finished for him, and then again, “How are you doing that?” The crowd had fallen silent. “Is there any other explanation?” she wondered aloud. “I see things in my dream every night, swirling through water. So many of them it is almost impossible to pick out specifics. Only the smallest of details get by sometimes. The future would consume me and leave nothing behind, if I let it.”

“I believe you,” Lizardfang mewed, and Patchfur followed up with an agreement. “You’ve been odd since you were a kit. This explains it.”

“Thank you,” Oriolepaw mewed. “But the explanation is only part of it. Sometimes I cannot wake from what I see.”

“And I’ve seen that,” Cactusleaf mewed, Fawntail backing her up. “Only a sunrise ago she was locked in a vision.”

“How did you wake up, then?” Honeypelt wondered.

“Marigoldpaw,” Oriolepaw said simply. “As far as I know, as far as I’ve seen, she’s the only one who can reach me in the water.”

“Her?” Stonewhisker spoke up again. “But she’s not Caveclan, she’s-”

“From Cliffclan, yes,” Oriolepaw mewed. “Which is why I must ask a favor of you all. Will you let Marigoldpaw join us?”

“But she’s Cliffclan,” Tanagerfoot mewed, confused.

“Cliffclan holds no place for me anymore,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “I would rather be here, with Oriolepaw, in Caveclan.” Another buzzing murmur swept the assembled cats.

“What does it mean?” Snakeclaw mewed. “Your visions. Why do you have them?” The crowd hushed, eyes trained intently on Oriolepaw.

She didn’t answer for a long time. Finally she said, “I don’t know. I don’t think there is a reason. It shouldn’t happen, but it does.”

“Starclan wouldn’t give you this power without a reason,” Cloverstream piped up. “Would they?”

The faint form of Duskfang shook his head. He still had no idea what it was about, as far as he had told her. Oriolepaw mewed, “We all know there are some things Starclan simply can’t control. I wouldn’t see these things if they could stop it. There are some things the living simply shouldn’t know.” She sighed and let herself hang her head, just for a moment, just long enough. Then she straightened back up. “Please,” she started. “Will you let Marigoldpaw join us?”

Fawntail was the first to speak up. There’s no hesitation in her voice. “Yes,” she mewed, and Honeypelt and Crowfur join in. There were cats who frowned and said nothing, but there’s enough who agree. Enough that Batstar beckoned Oriolepaw down and took her place to say, “Marigoldpaw will join our ranks,” and that was it.

Oriolepaw gazed at Marigoldpaw’s face, shining dimly with hesitant hope and looking across the crowd of Caveclan cats. She wanted to say something, started to, but-

“You’re  _ hurt _ ,” Cactusleaf mewed. “Why didn’t you tell me? Come on. My den is this way.”

Marigoldpaw glanced at Oriolepaw, mildly amused, and then both apprentices of Caveclan followed their medicine cat.


	18. Sixteen

The Caveclan apprentice den was nice. Marigioldpaw and Oriolepaw were the only ones sleeping in it, since Briarflower’s kits weren’t six moons yet. Marigoldpaw didn’t mind it, actually preferred it, even if waking up next to Oriolepaw reminded her of what she’d lost.

Better still, she reminded herself, to think of what you’ve gained.

“How are you feeling?” Oriolepaw mewed, blinking sleepily.

“Fine,” Marigoldpaw assured her. “What about you? Did you sleep okay?”

“Fine,” Oriolepaw echoed, the exchange just as it had been for the past four sunrises.

“What did you see?” Marigoldpaw mewed, continuing the routine.

Oriolepaw tilted her head, thinking about it. “Nothing important,” she finally said. “Mostly nonsense.” Marigoldpaw nodded in the gloom and they both sat up to give themselves a quick groom. “Is today the day?” Oriolepaw asked. “How are your paws?”

Marigoldpaw frowned down at her feet. “Fine,” she mewed. “You’ll be there with me, right?”

“Every step of the way,” Oriolepaw promised. “Are you ready now? Fawntail and Ravenheart will be waiting for us.”

Ravenheart- Marigoldpaw wasn’t sure how to feel about her new mentor. He was different from Squirrelwhisker, that was for sure. He seemed to be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and see how she did before passing any true judgement on her, though they hadn’t had much time to spend together, with Marigoldpaw on orders to rest from Cactusleaf.

And now he’d be going with them to Cliffclan. Marigoldpaw hadn’t even gone near the border since Oriolepaw had taken her to Caveclan, though Cliffclan knew where she was. A Caveclan border patrol had informed the next Cliffclan patrol they saw where she was. They had left out that she was staying, simply that she was injured and they were taking care of her. Marigoldpaw had wanted to tell Brightstar herself.

“Good morning,” Fawntail said when the two were in the antechamber. “By the looks on your faces, I’d say you two were planning something.”

“We’d like to go to Cliffclan territory today,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “Is that alright?”

“Sounds good to me,” Ravenheart said. “You should eat first, though.”

“I agree,” Fawntail said. “I’ll tell Batstar the plan while you two get some food in you. Long trek, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Marigoldpaw mewed, knowing from experience. She waved goodbye to her mentor and followed Oriolepaw to the fresh-kill pile. Darkgaze and Astertail were already there.

“Hello!” Darkgaze mewed when she saw them.

“Hello little bird, little flower,” Astertail said warmly. The nickname and affection it carried filled Marigoldpaw with warm fuzzies. Oriolepaw’s parents had taken to her immediately, more quickly than Marigoldpaw would have expected. “There’s still some good prey left, and a hunting party already went out,” Astertail continued, stepping aside so the two apprentices could take their pick.

“We’re going to Cliffclan today,” Oriolepaw told her mothers.

“You’re feeling well enough?” Darkgaze mewed. “Oh, good. I was worried about you,” and again Marigoldpaw was struck by how genuine these two cats were. “I wish we could accompany you, but I think a patrol that big would be cause for concern.”

“The smaller the better,” Marigoldpaw agreed. “But thank you, really,” she was quick to add. The four cats chatted amicably as they ate in a corner. Soon enough Fawntail came back saying Batstar had approved the trip, and soon after that Oriolepaw and Marigoldpaw had finished eating, and then it was time to go.

Marigoldpaw had a feeling of trepidation as they crossed the border into Cliffclan territory. She knew the layout-- everything still felt familiar-- but it no longer felt like home. She led the patrol around cliffs when she could, but there were some places they simply had to climb. Marigoldpaw always went first, picking out the easiest routes. Fawntail had less trouble, what with being named after her natural balance and agility, and all, but the others floundered.

And then, just over a rise, they ran into a hunting patrol. “Who are you?!” Ivyclaw snarled, and then, “Wait- Marigoldpaw? Is that you?” Her eyes were wide with shock. “We thought we’d never see you again- What are you doing with these cats? They’re Caveclan, aren’t they?” Sheepfur had dropped the bird he was carrying.

“Hello Ivyclaw,” Marigoldpaw mewed with a sigh. “We’d like to see Brightstar, if you please.”

“Er- Okay,” Ivyclaw mewed. Sheepfur and the two other cats in the patrol still eyed them suspiciously. “Follow us, and don’t try anything. And Sheepfur, you mousebrain, don’t forget that bird.”

Oriolepaw shifted beside Marigoldpaw. She seemed fascinated by the territory, judging by the way she kept looking around. Marigoldpaw saw nothing special about Cliffclan’s views, but she could remember when she did.

Eventually the camp came into sight, the tall cliff with the ledges on the side, and the top, with the clearing. Oriolepaw murmured something beside her, and Marigoldpaw brushed her tail again her side in reassurance.

“You three stay down here,” Ivyclaw ordered at the base of the cliff. “Reedpelt, stay with them.”

“I’d like Oriolepaw to come with me,” Marigoldpaw mewed immediately. Ivyclaw flicked her tail but didn’t object, and together they scaled the slope. The top was exactly as Marigoldpaw remembered it. She didn’t know why she’d thought it would be any different.

Brightstar was sunning herself outside of her den. She got up as soon as she saw them, and Marigoldpaw was surprised to see how much bigger she looked. She was obviously pregnant now. “Marigoldpaw,” she mewed, eyes flickering to Oriolepaw. Her voice was relieved.

“Hello, Brightstar,” Marigoldpaw mewed.

“It’s good to see you’re in one piece,” she mewed. There was a pause as Ivyclaw explained how her patrol had found them, and that there were two Caveclan warriors at the base of the cliff. “Thank you for the report, Ivyclaw. Dismissed. Who is this?” she mewed, indicating Oriolepaw.

“I’m Oriolepaw,” the apprentice mewed.

Brightstar frowned. “Ah. I remember you. The one who can see the future.” Her tone was disbelieving. “Or so-”

“Marigoldpaw said,” Oriolepaw mewed, doing the thing where she said what someone was about to say. She continued, “How did you- What?” with Brightstar, and the leader stopped. She glanced between them. “Ah, I see,” they said together again. Brightstar’s tail flicked, annoyed.

“So,” she started, and paused to see if Oriolepaw would continue her trick. “You weren’t lying. Or you’re very good at guessing, anyway. What is this about?” Her relieved tone had gone. She seemed less amicable now. Marigoldpaw felt a little regretful at that.

“Brightstar, I’m in Caveclan now,” she said, straight to the point. “I’ve left Cliffclan.”

“What?” Brightstar gasped. “But this is your home.”

“Home?” Marigoldpaw mewed. The despair she’d been trying to hold back since they’d entered the territory came rushing in. “This hasn’t been my home since Hawthornpelt died.”

“But Marigoldpaw,” Brightstar mewed, concerned. “You were born here. This is where your friends are.”

“Not anymore. I can’t stay here. I’m sorry.”

“Why?” Brightstar asked, and the despair swamped Marigoldpaw.

“Because every time I climb a ridge I think of how Hawthornpelt never reached the top. Because every time I look at the horizon I remember how he can’t. Because my own  _ mother _ doesn’t love me anymore and Brightstar, Brightstar I can’t live like this, I can’t live here.” Her voice was choked, the words barbed and sticking in her throat, but she got them all out. “I can’t stay. I wish I hadn’t come. I-” Oriolepaw brushed against her side. Marigoldpaw forced her stare from Brightstar to her friend, to her split-color face, and gradually the despair sank away until it was manageable.

When she looked back at Brightstar, the leader’s eyes were shining with sadness. “I felt this would happen. I hoped it wouldn’t, Marigoldpaw. You were getting so angry and your training was stagnating, but I hoped that the longer we waited, the more time we gave you.. I was wrong. I see that now. I’m very sorry, Marigoldpaw. If I had intervened sooner..”

“It would have been the same,” Marigoldpaw mewed. She shook her head. “My path was leading here from the beginning. Oriolepaw needs me in Caveclan, and I.. I need to be there. I  _ want _ to be there.”

“I see,” Brightstar sighed. “Would you like to say goodbye before you leave?”

Was there anyone she even wanted to say goodbye to, Marigoldpaw wondered? But she said, “Okay,” and Brightstar took a step forward to lick the top of her head.

“You take good care of her,” she mewed to Oriolepaw, who nodded, and then she and Marigoldpaw were walking away.

“There’s something I need to get,” Marigoldpaw said. She hoped they were still there. She didn’t know who was cleaning the dens now that she was gone, but still she hoped.. She hopped down the ledges on the cliff face and waited for Oriolepaw. Together they jumped across to the apprentice’s den and ducked inside. The den was empty. Shock and horror seized Marigoldpaw’s heart.

“I saved them,” a voice behind them said, and Marigoldpaw turned to see Lightcloud standing on the ledge of the warrior’s den. “Your feathers. I kept them safe.” She leapt across the gap and ducked inside the den, striding to the very back. Marigoldpaw followed her. Lightcloud overturned a rock Marigoldpaw had managed to miss, and there they were, a little rumpled but still in one piece.

“Thank you,” Marigoldpaw breathed, gratitude welling from the words. “Thank you so much, Lightcloud.”

“I know they mean a lot to you,” Lightcloud mewed. Her voice was sad, and Marigoldpaw looked up at her. Her ears were drooping. Her eyes shone with sadness. “You’re leaving, aren’t you, Marigoldpaw?”

She didn’t know how Lightcloud knew. Perhaps she’d just overhead. Or perhaps not. Either way, Marigoldpaw said, “Yes,” and watched as Lightcloud’s expression fell further.

“I’m going to miss you,” she mewed. “I.. I’d hoped..” She laughed, a soft, sad sound. “Well it seems silly now. It wouldn’t have ever worked. You and I.” The confession sparked shock in Marigoldpaw. Lightcloud had liked her. She’d hoped they’d be mates.

And the surprising thing was, Marigoldpaw could see it. Lightcloud was pretty. She was kind. In another world, in another time, where things had been different, she saw it: Hawthornwhisker, not Hawthornpelt, and her, Marigoldtail, happy. That Marigoldtail, nuzzling Lightcloud and sleeping next to her in the warrior’s den. Starting a family, maybe. Someday.

But that wouldn’t ever happen, none of it. Hawthornpelt was dead and so was every other reason Marigoldpaw had for staying in Cliffclan. “I’m sorry,” she mewed truthfully.

“Sorry for something that never happened,” Lightcloud mewed. “What a silly thing to be sorry about. Goodbye, Marigoldpaw,” she said, and Marigoldpaw watched her walk away and disappear out of the den.

“Are you alright?” Oriolepaw mewed. Marigoldpaw took a moment to get herself back in order, and nodded. “I’ll take these, if that’s okay,” Oriolepaw mewed, and picked up the feathers. Muffled, she added, “There might be more cats you want to talk to.”

“Thank you,” Marigoldpaw mewed, and they left the apprentice’s den. Squirrelwhisker was coming down from the plateau. They faltered when they saw her, and rushed forward.

“Marigoldpaw,” they said, voice choked. “I was so worried, I- Ah. Oriolepaw.” There was a tense moment, and Squirrelwhisker shook their head. “This isn’t a homecoming, is it.”

“No,” Marigoldpaw agreed. “After this, I’m not coming back.”

“I see. I suppose it’s too late to say I’m sorry?” Squirrelwhisker asked. They sounded resigned.

“It isn’t,” Marigoldpaw mewed. “It isn’t, and I’m sorry, Squirrelwhisker. I was so angry, and..”

“You had reason. I see that now. You had reason and I wish I had paid more attention,” Squirrelwhisker mewed. “I got caught up in.. in mentoring, and forgot to pay attention to how you were feeling. I’m sorry, Marigoldpaw. I wish I had done better.”

“You were fine, Squirrelwhisker. At the beginning I wanted to be the best apprentice ever but then.. Then I didn’t care. I didn’t care about any of it. It wasn’t fair to you,” Marigoldpaw told her, tone insistent.

“We both acted like mousebrains,” Squirrelwhisker sighed. “I’ll miss you. Caveclan, yeah? Maybe we’ll see each other on a border patrol.”

“I’d like that,” Marigoldpaw mewed. She touched noses with her old mentor one last time, and then Squirrelwhisker stepped aside to let them pass.

The hopeful mood Marigoldpaw had slowly managed to cultivate during her talk with Squirrelwhisker died as they reached the top of the slope and stepped out onto the plateau. There was Poppyface, standing across the plateau. Marigoldpaw could see the claw marks on her muzzle, still visible, barely healed. They’d scar.

Marigoldpaw crossed the few tail lengths to her mother. Poppyface didn’t say anything to her, which left it to Marigoldpaw. “I’m leaving,” she mewed. Poppyface nodded. “I suppose Brightstar told you. You must be glad. Now you won’t have to look at me. Now you won’t be reminded that I’m alive and Hawthornpelt isn’t.”

Poppyface simply shrugged. Marigoldpaw fought down the rage she was feeling and took a breath. When she spoke next, her voice was flat and held none of the sadness she felt. “You know it didn’t have to be this way.” She stepped back two pawsteps, and then started around her mother. Poppyface stared straight ahead. “Goodbye.”

She almost thought she heard her mother’s voice, a whisper like the wind,  _ Goodbye _ , but that was wishful thinking. Only wishful thinking.

Marigoldpaw crossed the plateau to Brightstar. Her expression was sad. “I’m sorry, Marigoldpaw,” she mewed. Marigoldpaw only shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “It’s.. I’m leaving now. Thank you for letting me say goodbye.”

“I’ll tell the Clan when you’re gone,” Brightstar mewed gently. “I don’t want you to be swamped with questions. Goodbye, Marigoldpaw. Good luck.”

Marigoldpaw glanced at Oriolepaw and smiled. Her friend blinked at her, the two feathers still gently in her mouth, and Marigoldpaw shook her head. “Thank you,” she said again. “But I don’t think I need luck.”

They went down the slope together, ready to head home.

Later that evening, when their trip to Cliffclan had begun to fade just the tiniest bit, Marigoldpaw and Oriolepaw found themselves in the apprentice den. The feathers were tucked into a crack in the cave wall, secure and stable.

“There’s still one more cat you haven’t talked to,” Oriolepaw said. Marigoldpaw’s ear flicked in surprise.

“Is there? Who did I miss?” she mewed.

“Sleep,” Oriolepaw mewed. “And you’ll find out. I’ve been working this out for a couple of days.”

“Cryptic,” Marigoldpaw sighed. “But alright.” She settled into her nest, and Oriolepaw did the same in hers. They were close enough that they might as well have been in the same nest; their paws brushed. Marigoldpaw felt her eyes blinking, sliding shut and then drifting open.

And then, on one blink, she opened her eyes to a whole different world. A sea of grass, shining and golden and waving in a gentle wind, and a pond, a deep, deep pond without a single ripple--

“Don’t look,” Oriolepaw mewed, pushing Marigoldpaw’s head away. “Don’t. Look over here, instead,” and so Marigoldpaw did. She gasped.

“Hey,” Hawthornpelt said. Marigoldpaw stumbled toward him and he dipped his head to catch her and stop her from falling. “Hey now, come on,” he protested, and Marigoldpaw got herself under control. He looked exactly the same as she remembered him, white pelt, green eyes, but there was a shimmer to him.

“It’s you,” she whispered. “You, really, I can see you, I can touch you, you’re here.” She was taller than him now. Bigger in general. The thought made her sad.

“I know,” he mewed. “I missed you,” and they embraced, hooking their heads over each other’s backs.

“I missed you too, so much,” Marigoldpaw mewed. He felt solid under her, real and warm.

“I haven’t stopped watching over you,” he said. “I’m so sorry, Marigoldpaw. I wish I could have been there.”

“I wish you could have been there too,” Marigoldpaw whispered. “I wish that every day.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” he said. He pushed her away, gently, to look in her eyes. “Okay? It wasn’t your fault at all.”

And the guilt she harbored drained away, just a little. “I should have been there. I should have helped you.”

“That’s not how it went,” he mewed. “Neither of us will never know, and you can’t tear yourself up over what might have beens. It was never your fault.” He licked her forehead, washing away more of the guilt. “I’m proud of you, Marigoldpaw. I’m glad you’ve got Caveclan now.” He glanced at Oriolepaw, and Marigoldpaw felt her ears heat up.

“Me too, Hawthornpelt,” she said. “Thank you.”

“I love you. I’ll never stop loving you,” Hawthornpelt said, and the way he said it widened her eyes and made her step forward. “I’ll always be watching over you, Marigoldpaw.”

“Can’t we talk longer?” she pleaded, but he shook his head. “Please.”

“I’m sorry for what Poppyface did to you,” he mewed. His voice was sad. “It wasn’t fair.”

“None of it was,” Marigoldpaw agreed. Her tone was helpless. “Will I see you again?”

“Someday, maybe,” he said. “We’ll see, okay? Keep that feather for me. Even without it I’ll be there, but I’m glad knowing that you have them. I love you.”

"I love you too. So much, Hawthornpelt." It looked like he was fading, the shimmer in his pelt glittering brighter. He looked like he was full of stars. She touched her nose to his, and as she pulled away she realized it wasn't just him that was fading. The entire area was, growing transparent and pale and disappearing.

"Goodbye," Hawthornpelt mewed a moment before he and the pond and the grass blinked out of existence.

"Goodbye," Marigoldpaw whispered in the apprentice's den. Oriolepaw's paw was still touching hers. "Thank you," she said to Oriolepaw. "So much." Oriolepaw pressed down on her paw gently.

In the darkness of the den, Marigoldpaw smiled.


	19. Epilogue

"Duskfang, you know our rules! And yet you continue to skirt them, if not outright break them-- and then to bring another cat into your rule breaking-- This is unacceptable!"

There was silence. Not even the wind blew. Duskfang stared straight ahead at the black and white molly who was snarling at him, and her three friends. "I wouldn't have done it without good reason," he said, calmly as he could, even with the note of anger brewing under the surface.

"We planned for this," one of the molly’s friends said, a golden-brown tom. "With or without your interference-- and it should have been without-- everything would have been fine."

"She is my kin! You would expect me to stand to the side and do nothing when the daughter of my own daughter suffered?" Duskfang snarled. "Eagle, Butterfly, I would never do that. Not ever."

"We know," one of the other cats, a blue tabby, said gently. Her voice was sad. "We know how much your kin means to you, Duskfang. But you know why we have these rules. You've heard the stories. You know exactly why this isn't allowed."

"My death was long after those atrocities," Duskfang said. "And frankly, Deluge, I don't care. Oriolepaw would never have ended up--"

"Like Sparrowheart," a new voice mewed, dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, Duskfang, how could you ever become like that horrid Juncoflower." Duskfang curled his lip at the white and black molly stalking towards him through the grass. "Anything at all like me."

"Stay out of this, Juncoflower," Butterfly snapped. "You lost your right to these counsels long ago."

The last cat, a ginger tolly, the one who hadn't spoken, muttered, "I don't know why you're even here," and flicked their orange tail.

"I go where I know I'll be talked about, Dust Strider," Juncoflower said.

"The situations are different!" Duskfang mewed over them all. "Sparrowheart and Oriolepaw have nothing at all in common, Starclan guide be damned--"

"Oh, certainly," Juncoflower drawled. Butterfly flashed her a rage-filled look and she shut her mouth, though the mutinous look on her face remained.

"Everything for Oriolepaw was worked out long ago, Duskfang," Eagle said.

"Worked out? The visions still take her!" Duskfang snapped.

"We couldn't stop them, no, but we prepared for them. We sent down the power to stop them, to free her-- And they met. You see that. That was all we could do," Eagle mewed.

"She and Marigoldpaw would have met with or without your help, Duskfang. You should have stayed out of it," Dust Strider mewed.

"Never," Duskfang mewed. "Punish me like you punished Juncoflower, but I refuse to regret helping her."

A huff came from Juncoflower. "Stick to your convictions," she mewed, disgust lacing her tone. "We'll see how your precious, special granddaughter turns out."

Duskfang turned a cold stare on her. "Your mistakes are not mine," he said. "And Sparrowheart's will never be hers." She curled her lip at him, clearly not convinced.

"Both of you, leave," Butterfly hissed. "The rest of us will decide the punishment. And Duskfang. No more contact. She has her tether. You're no longer needed." Duskfang spat, just once, and then he whirled around and raced away, disappearing into the grass. Juncoflower took a different path, stalking away more sedately.

Deluge sighed. Her line of sight drifted to the pond. "No leniency," she muttered to herself, though she knew the other three were listening. "Though.. I cannot help but wonder.." The swirling in the pond stilled, clearing into the image of Oriolepaw and Marigoldpaw. The other three looked with her, and then Deluge broke the image, scattering it into ripples with a single swipe of her paw.

* * *

 

Batstar swept his tail around his paws. “And you’re sure about that, Marigoldpaw? There’s no skill you were on the track for in Cliffclan you’d like acknowledged?”

“There was,” she mewed. “But I don’t want it. Marigoldpelt is what I want.”

“Okay,” Batstar mewed. “And Oriolepaw?”

“I’ve thought about it,” Oriolepaw mewed. “And I think it’s a good idea, the name change.”

“Then it’s settled,” Batstar mewed. “Let’s go start the ceremony then.” He paused, ear flicking. “I’m proud of both of you,” he added, walking away. Behind him, Marigoldpaw and Oriolepaw exchanged a pleased look before following him.

* * *

 

Batstar lead them down the tunnel that grew darker and darker. The air grew heavier, stifling her breathing just the slightest, but Oriolepaw’s presence kept Marigoldpaw grounded. She followed them both, hearing the soft sound of her pawsteps echo off the cave walls, the noise mingling with that of the cats behind them.

She felt when they left the tunnel and stepped into a wide, yawning cavern. She wasn’t surprised; Oriolepaw had warned her of what would happen, and of the need to be perfectly silent.

Batstar left them in the middle of the cavern. Marigoldpaw heard the faint sound of him scaling a ledge before the minor rustling of the rest of the Clan spreading throughout the cave drowned it out. She didn’t sit down; Oriolepaw didn’t, after all, and she, at least, knew the ceremony.

Soon enough everything stopped moving and silence reigned. The quiet pressed in on her, laying across her pelt like an old friend. The faint, familiar sound of a whisper drifted by. She strained to hear it, searching out the sound, but it was gone. She felt Oriolepaw’s tail brush against her own as they waited in the darkness.

Batstar spoke. “Your Clan’s hearts beat with your own,” he mewed, voice a breathy sigh. “Listen. Hear your Clan in you.”

And Marigoldpaw heard it. A thrum, in time with her own heartbeat, pulsing around her and welcoming her.

_ You _ , voices whispered over the thrumming, layering over each other. She almost thought she recognized one of the voices.  _ Us _ , they told her, and then,  _ We _ .

Yes, she thought back. Us.

“Your name,” Batstar mewed, and she wasn’t Marigoldpaw anymore. There was a moment’s pause, only the whispering, soft and indistinct, and he mewed, “Marigoldpelt.”

“Marigoldpelt,” the entire clan whispered at once. The sound made her jump. Oriolepaw pressed at her side, calming her.

“A change,” Batstar whispered. “Anew. Your name. Farsight.”

Marigoldpelt swallowed. The Clan obviously wasn’t expecting Oriolepaw to receive a completely new name. One heartbeat too many went by before the Clan whispered, “Farsight,” together, still on sync, but late, though Marigoldpelt thought that maybe there were a few less voices in the mix.

“Rejoice,” Batstar mewed, and Marigoldpelt could swear she heard whispers speak it with him. There was a small thump as he jumped from where he was, and then the Clan was moving, leaving the cave, back up to the surface. The darkness grew lighter, and she was just about to make out the sight of Farsight’s face.

“Marigoldpelt,” Farsight mewed at her side, testing the name out.

“Farsight,” she said back, smiling in the soft light.

Together, they headed back towards the antechamber.

* * *

 

“Caveclan has two new warriors to announce,” Batstar said from atop the Palerock. “Marigoldpelt and Farsight!”

The Palegrounds erupted with cheers from the Caveclan cats assembled, but there was silence from the other Clans, besides a general, confused murmur.

“Farsight?” Merlinstar repeated. “Batstar, that is not a typical name.”

“Farsight is not a typical cat, Merlinstar,” Batstar replied. He flicked his tail, and Farsight stood up, walking forward to stand beneath the Palerock. “She has a gift,” Batstar continued. “Farsight has been granted the gift to see the future.”

“What?” Cloudstar mewed. “That is ridiculous. Do you..” And she stopped as Farsight did he trick of saying exactly what she was going to say. “Have any proof to back that up?”

“This is ridiculous,” Merlinestar and Farsight said together.

“I think you’ll find that it isn’t,” Brightstar and Farsight said together. Brightstar didn’t seem surprised as Farsight spoke with her. She might have been surprised if she hadn’t.

“It isn’t baseless,” Farsight mewed. “It has come into play many times.”

“What’s the point then?” Cloudstar growled as the assembled cats murmured to each other. “To lord it over us? What will you do with a cat with powers like that?”

“You misunderstand,” Farsight mewed. “We’re not telling you so you’ll fear us. I will not abuse my power like that. No. If anything bad is to happen- to  _ any _ of the Clans- if it is major enough, I will give you the information you need to stop it. Make no mistake- I am not going to help the littlest of issues.” She turned in a circle, sweeping her gaze across the entire Gathering. She caught sight of Marigoldpelt in the crowd, staring at her with wide, gleaming eyes. Farsight fought down a smile at the sight of her. “But I will help. I don’t know why I’ve been given this power. I’m not sure there is a reason, that it wasn’t just a fluke, a mistake Starclan is unable to correct.

“But I will use it as best I can,” she continued. “On that you have my promise.”

“And how do you expect to do that?” Merlinstar asked, doubt in her voice.

Farsight smiled up at her. “Let me tell you,” she said.

And so she did.

* * *

 

“You did a good job today,” Duskfang mewed. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Farsight mewed. The pond and the grass spread out around them, but Farsight held no worry for the water behind her.

“This is the last time I can see you. They’ll be mad for it, but I had to say goodbye.”

Sadness crossed Farsight’s face. “Thank you for all you’ve done.”

“It wasn’t much,” Duskfang mewed.

“To me? Scared and alone and confused? It was more than enough, grandfather.”

“We’ll see each other again someday,” Duskfang mewed. “Give my regards to your mothers and Marigoldpelt. Good luck, Farsight. May the water be clear.”

The corner of Farsight’s mouth twitched. “Goodbye, Duskfang.”

The scene around him began to fade, blowing away on the wind. “Of course,” Duskfang mewed, voice growing fainter. “If I happened to be here as you dreamt..”

“That’d be no one’s fault,” Farsight agreed, face lighting up in a smile. Duskfang grinned back, and the scene disappeared, and Farsight awoke in the warrior’s den with Marigoldpelt.

“Alright?” Marigoldpelt mewed sleepily.

“Alright,” Farsight agreed, and that was that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains references to stories I planned to have eventually written; the one about Juncoflower and Sparrowheart, and an origin story for my Badlands Clans, with Eagle, Butterfly, Deluge, and Dust Strider.
> 
> Unfortunately, along with finishing Prophet, I don't think either of those stories will ever see more than the couple thousand words I collectively wrote for them.
> 
> There's one more bit to this story left, though.


	20. Bonus Scene: Aftermath

When Marigoldpaw had left and was just a speck on the horizon, Brightstar still had yet to move. She’d been frozen to the spot, an indescribable mix of emotions tethering her to the stone outside of her den.

She’d failed, first off, as a leader. There was no getting around that part. One of her clanmates, one of the cats she was tasked to lead, to protect, to care for, had left. Marigoldpaw had told her, nearly straight off, that Cliffclan was no longer her home. That Cliffclan had failed her. That Brightstar had failed her.

“Brightstar?” Russetfoot prompted gently, concern in her voice. Brightstar made a great effort to turn and meet her.

“Yes,” she said vaguely, remembering the pleading in Marigoldpaw’s voice as she had said her leader’s name,  begging her to understand why she was leaving. “Ah, yes, Russetfoot. I need to call a meeting.” Russetfoot said something then, tried to, but Brightstar was climbing up on top of her own den, the peak that served as the leader’s perch.

There were cats outside of camp still, on patrol or training, but word would get to them even without them being here. “Cats of Cliffclan,” Brightstar called, “Gather on the plateau for a clan meeting.”

They flocked towards her, curiosity written on most of their faces, but there were others, others with sadness and expectation instead. But there was one who showed neither of those things. Poppyface gazed off to the side of Brightstar, looking towards but not at her, disinterest as her sole expression. Brightstar’s eyes locked on the scars on Poppyface’s muzzle and felt the tingle of rage start in her paws.

She spoke without really hearing herself. “Marigoldpaw has left,” she said, ignoring the start of murmurs. “She has joined Caveclan. There is no ill will there,” she pushed in, forcing calm into the words, half-aware of how Marigoldpaw could be seen as a traitor. “She was simply doing what was best for herself. That’s all. Dismissed.”

Brightstar lowered herself off the rock gently, more aware than ever of the kits she was carrying in her belly. “Poppyface,” she called, voice flat from the effort of keeping anger out of it. “I want a word.”

Poppyface didn’t move away, but she didn’t come towards Brightstar either, forcing her leader to go to her. This didn’t help Brightstar’s mood. She had to stand still for a moment, words scrambling in her head, most of them not polite.

“Poppyface,” she finally mewed, the word trembling. “How dare you.”

Poppyface’s eyes flicked to hers and away again. She said nothing.

“I thought you only needed time. That this would-- This would blow over. That you would come to your senses. Instead you have spat in the face that all of us stand for.  _ Don’t you walk away from me _ .” Her voice had raised until she was snarling.

Poppyface stopped moving, and turned back to Brightstar. There was annoyance on her pretty, scarred face.

“Do not act like a petulant  _ kit _ , Poppyface. What you have done here is wrong. No one-- No one, at all, no matter who or where they come from, may treat one of our own that way, let alone their own child. I will never again stand by to let a clanmate of mine be treated as you have your own daughter, Poppyface. Your actions were unacceptable. No, I am still talking to you. You stand there, don’t move.”

Poppyface’s claws were digging into the rock, her legs tense with staying in place.

“Since you seem to be intent on acting as an apprentice, then that is what you shall be. You are Poppypaw now.” Poppyface’s angered expression broke into shock. “Poppypaw, you are confined to camp. You will sleep in the apprentice’s den until further notice. Everyone will know you as Poppypaw again.” Brightstar’s voice rose as she repeated, “Poppypaw.” She let it sink in for a moment, then continued, “Never in my life have I seen such a display of immaturity in one of my own clanmates. Poppypaw, go to your den. You will not eat today. You will not leave the den until a warrior has fetched you. Go.”

Poppypaw stared at her a moment longer before breaking the eye contact and whirling around. She disappeared over the edge of the plateau with Brightstar watching. She became aware of the clan watching. Well, it hadn’t been subtle.

She cast her gaze over them, neutral. Everyone seemed a little sad, but perhaps the most surprising thing was the lack of surprise.

“Thank you,” Lightcloud said to her, just a moment later. Sorrow gleamed in her eyes. “It was terrible, what she was doing.”

Brightstar didn’t have the chance to respond before Squirrelwhisker was there. “Don’t beat yourself up too badly,” the tolly murmured. “I did nothing either. Not until it was too late.”

“We’ll know in the future,” Brightstar said, exhaustion in her voice. “If there’s a silver lining, let that be it.”

“Let that be it,” Lightcloud agreed.

“By Starclan’s will,” Squirrelwhisker put in, and a moment later they were, all of them, silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a scene set during chapter 16 that wasn't shown for POV reasons, but that I wrote anyway. Stories where terrible parents are just allowed to happen irk me, and it's unrealistic in a warriors setting. Hopefully this explained a bit about why it happened, at least, other than just "plot reasons," and that it absolutely isn't an okay thing.
> 
> And that brings Prophet to an end!


End file.
